The difference between misdemeanor and felony bail jumping Whether a bail jumping charge is a misdemeanor or a felony seems to stump a lot of people.  Let’s clarify it; Defendant is arrested for a misdemeanor.  He appears in court and his bail (along with conditions) is set.  One of those conditions requires that the defendant…

Wondering whether CBD is legal in Wisconsin in 2025? Is CBD legal in Wisconsin in 2025?  Marijuana is a psychoactive drug derived from the dried leaves, stems, and flowers of the cannabis plant.  CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid found within the same plant.  CBD isn’t intoxicating.  Marijuana and THC are. Marijuana is illegal to…

Many of Wisconsin’s sexual assault laws apply in date rape situations. Date rape is a pretty simple concept: it is rape committed by someone with whom the victim has gone on a date.  These situations arise in a number of ways, and the purpose of this article is to describe the various criminal charges that…

Criminal defense attorney Ben Van Severen explains the Alien Enemies Act of 1798: The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of four laws passed by the United States Congress in 1798 during the presidency of John Adams.  The laws were enacted amid heightened tensions between the United States and France (specifically the Quasi-War, an…

Are Wisconsinites required to open their doors to ICE officials? Quickly after Donald Trump took office in 2025, he began pursuing one of his campaign promises: to reign in illegal immigration, secure the border, and deport individuals in violation of immigration laws.  Unfortunately, his plans quickly expanded, a prison in El Salvador got involved, and…

Wisconsin drunk driving laws in 2025: What are they?  Have the laws changed over the last year? Sometimes, state criminal laws change quickly.  Criminal drunk driving laws are no exception.  Prior to 2017, a fourth offense OWI was a misdemeanor in Wisconsin, so long as no prior drunk driving offense had occurred within the last…

Is it possible to commit OWI while snowmobiling? As we approach winter in Wisconsin, many snowmobile enthusiasts ask the same question: can I be arrested for OWI while snowmobiling?  The quick answer is yes.  Wisconsin drunk driving law includes operating any motor vehicle.  While many of those motor vehicles are included in the general drunk…

It’s important to succeed on probation.  How do you do it? Succeeding on probation certainly sounds easy.  Just follow the rules, right?  As criminal defense attorneys, we’ve seen all kinds of reasons that offenders have failed probation, extended supervision, and parole. And unfortunately, in all of those cases, the probation officer alleged that the offender…

Marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin.  What about substances like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, and CBD? Years after the federal legalization of hemp-derived delta-9, Wisconsinites across the state have started to see advertisements for “legal weed.”  And once they take a look into these ads, they’re sometimes surprised to see that various companies across the United States…

Florida man shoots down a Walmart drone. On June 26, 2024, 72-year-old Dennis Winn of Lake County, FL was cleaning his pool when he reported hearing a “whirring” noise from the sky.  Winn spotted a drone above his home and retrieved his 9mm handgun from the house.  He fired once, hitting the drone, which then…