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. …

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…

Burglary vs. robbery explained. This is a question frequently asked of our criminal defense attorneys in Milwaukee, WI.  What’s the difference between burglary and robbery?  Frequently people use the terms interchangeably.  Unfortunately, they’re not the same. One of our top criminal defense attorneys explains burglary vs. robbery in this blog post.  If you are charged…