Bring an emergency kit You should always have an emergency kit in your car, but it’s especially important to make sure it’s well-stocked before going on a long trip.  While properly preparing your vehicle is a great start, it cannot prevent various problems like punctured tires, collisions, or passenger illnesses.  Those issues can occur at…

Mental health concerns Technology isn’t always beneficial for your mental health. Children are especially vulnerable to these risks, such as internet addiction, and their associated and real-world consequences, like anxiety and depression. Over the past few years, the study of the correlation between excessive internet use and mental disorders has grown.  The term internet addiction…

The effects of opioid use Certainly these staggering numbers are concerning.  But while the opioid epidemic impacts our country on a large scaled, we must understand exactly how opioids impact individuals.  Individuals, after all, are at the heart of the epidemic. Long-term effects There are many long-term effects of opioid abuse.  Here are a few:…

Symptoms and signs of domestic violence Even with emotional or verbal abuse that doesn’t leave a visible mark, there are warning signs and symptoms that can indicate someone is being abused.  Here are a few: Physical marks, bruises, scratches, slap marks can indicate physical abuse. If one partner requires the other’s permission before seeing friends,…

Shiffra appellate decision The Court of Appeals decided: “We conclude that the defendant’s burden should be to make a preliminary showing that the sought-after evidence is relevant and may be helpful to the defense or is necessary to a fair determination of guilt or innocence.” They went on and applied the standard to Mr. Shiffra…

What’s an animal? Believe it or not, the statute specifies what constitutes an “animal.”  Animals include every living warm-blooded creature, reptiles, and amphibians.  The statute excludes humans from this definition.  The statute also explains that Chapter 951 does not controvert any law regulating wild animals under Chapter 169.  It also does not apply to the…

Is gambling legal in Wisconsin?  What is the definition of gambling?  What penalties do you face if charged?  This post will answer these and other questions about gambling in Wisconsin. Gambling – What is it? Gambling in Wisconsin is regulated in Section 945 of the Wisconsin Statutes.  First, we need to define a few terms. …

What does the Sixth Amendment say? The language of the Sixth Amendment itself is pretty straightforward: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained…

Drunk driving homicide penalties change A new law was enacted in Wisconsin that changes the sentencing structure for drunk driving homicides.  Signed into law by Governor Tony Evers on November 20, 2019, the bill created a presumptive minimum penalty for all drunk driving homicides.  This post will explain the new law, how it changes the…