Why does the weather matter for an OWI stop? After police stop you for suspected drunk driving, frequently they require you to complete a battery of field sobriety tests.  The purpose of those tests is to determine whether or not you appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  That conclusion, along with…

Potential charges for running from police Firstly, if you run from police in your vehicle: Section 340.06 of the Wisconsin Statutes prohibits fleeing/eluding an officer.  Wisconsin Criminal Jury Instruction 2630 prohibits “operating a vehicle to flee or in an attempt to elude an officer.”  Both pieces of literature describe the same crime. If you face…

What happens when I violate implied consent laws? If the driver refuses an evidentiary blood, breath, or urine test, certain administrative penalties apply.  If prosecutors prove the refusal (or if the challenge timeframe passes) the Department of Motor Vehicles revokes the driver’s license for 12 months.  Additional requirements include an ignition interlock device, a substance…

On June 3, 2022, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin determined: Wisconsin’s OWI graduated-penalty scheme is unconstitutional to the extent it counts prior revocations for refusing to submit to a warrantless blood draw as offenses for the purpose of increasing the criminal penalty. The following blog post may contain outdated law and is focused on refusals…

State v. Mitchell L. Christen – SCOW considers going armed while intoxicated and the Second Amendment Defendant Christen, his roommates, and his roommates friends were drinking alcohol on February 2, 2018.  At one point a confrontation occurred and Christen armed himself.  Testimony about where Christen pointed the firearm differed, but everyone agreed that he possessed…

The law – section 343.31(1m)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes Section 343.31(am)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes states: Upon receiving a [homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle or firearm] or [injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle conviction, or] conviction, suspension, or revocation counted under s. 343.307 (1) that together with other records of the department show that the…

So, what is the parental privilege? Off the bat, one thing is clear: the parental privilege doesn’t apply to cases involving intent to cause great bodily harm or death, or which create a risk of either.  This eliminates the privilege in cases involving charges like homicide. The jury first determines whether the amount of force…

The statutory definition of operating while intoxicated Wisconsin Statute section 346.63(1)(a) prohibits operating while intoxicated: No person may drive or operate a motor vehicle while: Under the influence of an intoxicant, a controlled substance, a controlled substance analog or any combination of an intoxicant, a controlled substance and a controlled substance analog, under the influence…

What is a switchblade? A switchblade is a type of knife with a folding or sliding blade contained in the handle.  The operator of the weapon deploys the blade when he pushes a button or slide.  People frequently refer to switchblades as automatic knives.  Along with the push of the button, the blade moves out…

How do law enforcement personnel administer the horizontal gaze nystagmus test? The NHTSA requires that the law enforcement administer the HGN test in a specific manner.  They break the test down into nine parts: Firstly, check for eyeglasses.  The officer instructs a drive who wears glasses to remove them.  Sometimes law enforcement will even ask…