What is a Class I felony in Wisconsin?
A Class I felony is the lowest-level felony in Wisconsin. While that may sound reassuring, a Class I felony still carries with it a maximum penalty of 3.5 years in prison, $10,000.00 in fines, or both (Wis. Stat. sec. 939.50). Fortunately, because Class I felonies are the lowest level penalty, frequently our criminal defense attorneys negotiate charges down to misdemeanor levels. This is certainly beneficial to the individual simply trying to resolve his case, but also looking to avoid collateral consequences like a firearm ban. If you’re prohibited from possessing a firearm, and you’re caught doing it in the future, the penalties are significant.
We call non-felony charges misdemeanors. At Van Severen Law Office we certainly believe that hiring a criminal defense attorney makes sense for your Class I felony case. But we also believe it makes sense for your misdemeanor cases, and for your more serious felony cases. Finally, to speak with one of our criminal defense attorneys, surely call Van Severen Law Office at (414) 270-0202.
Examples of Class I felonies in Wisconsin:
Class I felonies are certainly an interesting breed of offense. They’re serious enough that the legislature determined prison punishment to be appropriate, but they’re also the lowest level felony offense. Finally, here’s a list of Class I felonies we frequently defend in Wisconsin:
What are the collateral consequences of a Class I felony?
Class I felonies are certainly serious. You face certain collateral consequences upon a felony conviction. Collateral consequences are penalties, disabilities, or disadvantages imposed on a person as a result of a criminal conviction. A few collateral consequences are:
- Firearms. Firstly, upon a felony conviction you cannot possess a firearm for the rest of your life (Wis. Stat. sec. 941.29). Unless the governor pardons your conviction, you cannot possess a firearm for the rest of your life.
- Voting. You cannot vote in any election until you complete your sentence. Secondly, you regain your right to vote upon a pardon.
- Employment. Upon a felony conviction you can lose a license or certificate necessary for work. Additionally, employers can generally consider convictions when they’re substantially related to the particular job.
- Public benefits. Upon a felony conviction you lose certain public benefits.
How do we defend your felony charge?
All criminal cases are different and require different defense strategies. Sometimes we defend charges based on the statutory language of the offense. For example, we may defend a stalking charge by requiring the victim did not actually suffer serious emotional distress. Without that element of the offense, the government cannot prove the charge against you.
A receiving stolen property may rely on a defective search warrant. If law enforcement located the property based solely on the defective search warrant, a challenge may result in suppression of that evidence. A complete suppression of the evidence against you certainly could lead to a dismissal of charges.
And finally, remember your right to trial. If you are innocent of the charges the government lodged against you, we may want to present your case to a jury.
Finally, contact Van Severen Law Office for criminal defense representation
The criminal defense attorneys at Van Severen Law Office surely focus 100% of their resources on defending criminal charges. Certainly hiring one of our defense lawyers could strengthen your fight against prosecutors.
Contact Van Severen Law Office at (414) 270-0202 if you’re seeking criminal defense representation. We certainly defend individuals charged with all misdemeanors and felonies throughout Wisconsin.
