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In Wisconsin, it is important to hire an attorney for any OWI or DUI charge. They can tell you what defense strategy is best, help you avoid making any mistakes, and ensure you get the best outcome possible. A lawyer who specializes in OWI cases will give you the best chance.
The simple answer is: the sooner, the better. Immediately after getting an OWI in Wisconsin, there are deadlines that need to be met, and you can start filing paperwork to avoid or delay action against your license. Furthermore, the sooner an attorney is retained, the sooner that attorney can get a comprehensive understanding of your situation. An attorney that knows what they are doing will need recollection as well as things from the police such as the officer summary on the ticket, the police report, and any video footage available.
You’ll want an attorney who has the training and experience to effectively scrutinize the evidence in OWI cases and defend against them, is familiar with the legal and procedural environment of the court overseeing your case and can effectively communicate the strengths and weaknesses in your case as well as your available options. At Grieve law, we emphasize in OWIs, so we have the experience to fight for you.
When you are worried about the impact of an OWI’s consequences, it is important to look into getting an attorney. By calling an attorney, they will be able to tell you in detail what they can do for you.
Consequences for an OWI are far-reaching and long-lasting. Especially as the number of OWIs a person has had increases or with other aggravating factors such as having a minor in the vehicle or causing injury, the consequences get more and more severe. This includes jail time or prison time in addition to the suspension/revocation of your driving privileges, the requirement of an ignition interlock device, and an alcohol and other drug assessment (AODA).
An attorney who specializes in OWI cases will assess your case, find evidence to challenge, file motions in your favor, and ensure you get the best outcome possible.
Even in a scenario where you feel like you are just guilty and the police have tons of evidence in their favor, an OWI defense attorney can determine if their case really holds up under professional scrutiny. An OWI attorney can find vulnerabilities you didn’t know to look for and use them for trial or motion purposes.
If the case holds up after that review, there are still efforts an OWI attorney can help with to minimize penalties and negotiate resolutions. The attorney can bring to light favorable facts about yourself and the case as part of a comprehensive effort to generate more aggregable offers from the prosecutor and lesser penalties at sentencing.
At Grieve Law, each of our attorneys goes through training similar to law enforcement in the administration of field sobriety tests and OWI investigation. We know what clues are actually clues for those tests and can see whether these tests were administered properly in your case. We have the experience to fight for you.
The difference between OWI and DUI is mostly just in the words. Many states use the term DUI to describe drunk or drug-impaired driving. In Wisconsin we use the term OWI because the term “operating” covers a broader range of activities such as sitting in the car while it is running.
The long and short of it is yes. If you are facing a first offense OWI, to give yourself any chance of fighting the case you need a lawyer. If you are facing a criminal OWI, anything a from a second OWI and up, then you are looking at mandatory jail time and whenever jail time is involved having someone in your corner to advocate on your behalf is necessary.
A first offense OWI is not a criminal case in Wisconsin, so law enforcement may tell you it is just an expensive ticket and not a big deal. However, that is incorrect, any OWI is a big deal because it can have consequences you don’t want to face. A first offense can result in revocation of driving privileges for months, points on your license, an ignition interlock device requirement, court-required assessments, and fines.
This often depends on many factors including the experience/expertise of the attorney, the seriousness of the charges (what number OWI it is and if there are any aggravating factors), proximity to the law office, and whether a trial, major motions, or experts are ultimately needed.
Rather than charging an hourly rate, here at Grieve Law we charge a flat rate for OWIs, so you know the total start-to-finish cost. To get a quote for the specifics of your case, call in and speak with an attorney.
