Category: Criminal Trial

Criminal penalties: If you find yourself in a situation where you can act to prevent either bodily harm or great bodily harm to a child, and you do noting, you can be punished. Remember, if the actions you fail to prevent could result in bodily harm to the child, you could face up to 6…

Entrapment is one of the most commonly known defenses to criminal liability.  But, what does it actually mean?  And when does it apply?  In this blog post, criminal defense attorney Benjamin Van Severen explains what entrapment is.  He also explains common crimes where entrapment can be used. Procedure for the Entrapment Defense The accepted definition…

If you have been arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) for the first time, you may be curious as to just how much trouble you are really in. It’s possible that you know someone (or even multiple people) who have gotten an OWI and seem to have come out on the other side relatively unscathed….

What is the current law? To illustrate, homicide, murder, and manslaughter laws in Wisconsin are as follows: First-degree intentional homicide – Wis. Stat. sec. 940.01 First-degree reckless homicide – Wis. Stat. sec. 940.02 Felony murder – Wis. Stat. sec. 940.03 Abortion – Wis. Stat. sec. 940.04 Second-degree intentional homicide – Wis. Stat. sec. 940.05 Second-degree…

I got into a verbal argument with my wife. Why am I being charged with Domestic Abuse? Many clients ask why they are being charged with Domestic Abuse for getting into a verbal argument with their spouse. Basically, the reason is that under Wisconsin Law such conduct can constitute domestic abuse under certain circumstances. Wisconsin,…

What happens when a drug addict calls 911 on her abuser? Criminal defense attorney Ben Van Severen regularly answers questions for individuals seeking legal help on AVVO.com.  In a recent question, one individual wanted to know what would happen to her if she, a drug addict, called police after being abused by her partner. Will…

A police officer gave me a subpoena to appear in court.  Do I need to show up? Of course you do.  A subpoena is a court order that requires your appearance at a specific place at a specific date and time. There is specific language included in an official language that makes this  clear.  Subpoenas…

Disorderly conduct tickets: How do they show up on my record? Disorderly conduct is a catch-all offense.  It’s pretty simple to prove.  The exact wording of the law is straightforward: Whoever, in a public or private place, engages in violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud other otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the…