Washington County WI OWI/DWI Lawyers

Drunk driving in Wisconsin is called operating while intoxicated (OWI). Some states use terms such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) and driving under the influence (DUI). Most states define a blood alcohol content of .08% as the legal threshold for intoxication, making the various offenses similar and each subject to fines, jail and loss of driver's license.

Being accused of driving while intoxicated in Wisconsin can lead to social, financial and legal difficulties. Wisconsin DWI laws are complex, as is the court process. The police and prosecution team will be aggressively working for a guilty verdict in your case, and the judge will offer little guidance.

However confusing and overwhelming the situation, realize that you still have rights. Hiring an experienced Wisconsin OWI/DWI lawyer will ensure that you have someone fighting for your interests and protecting those rights.

The Washington County DWI Lawyers with the Birdsall Law Offices believe that just because you've been arrested does not mean you are guilty. Drunk driving is never condoned, yet the attorneys at the Birdsall Law Offices know that drivers can be wrongly accused and that law enforcement can make errors.

West Bend DWI Lawyers John Birdsall and T.J. Perlick-Molinari of the Birdsall Law Offices provide excellent criminal defense, especially helping those accused of drunk driving in Wisconsin. The Birdsall Law Offices will use their extensive knowledge of WI DWI laws and court experience to get the best possible result from your case.

The state must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt and the Birdsall Law Offices will challenge every one of the prosecution's points in an effort to get your charges reduced or dismissed.

DWI criminal defense lawyers John Birdsall and T.J. Perlick-Molinari are committed to helping you. If you want to fight your arrest, immediately contact the Birdsall Law Offices.

The West Bend DWI Attorneys at Birdsall Law Offices will review your DWI for free. They will listen to you and answer your questions. They will look at the specifics of your Wisconsin DWI, and outline potential penalties, legal options and their fee. To learn more, call (866) 493-0726 or fill out the consultation request form to the left. Your inquiry is confidential and phones are answered 24/7, so call now.

State legislators frequently change the DWI laws of Wisconsin and the associated penalties, so it is important to seek experienced and qualified help with your arrest for driving while intoxicated in West Bend.

In order to achieve a conviction for DWI, the prosecution must prove that you were operating a motor vehicle on a public highway while impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both. A DWI is usually charged when a motorist registers a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher, though one can be arrested on the assumption of impairment without testing BAC. Law enforcement however must conduct an arrest for DWI within specific guidelines and evidence must be collected and handled within strict regulations.

In developing an appropriate defense for your specific case, the experienced Washington County DWI Attorneys with the Birdsall Law Offices will question whether there was probable cause to initiate a traffic stop, examine the arrest report and any video of the arrest for errors in policy and procedure, analyze field sobriety tests for proper administration, review breath or blood testing equipment records for proper, required maintenance and calibration, challenge evidence and thoroughly investigate all aspects of your DWI.

The goal is to identify and use any weaknesses in the state's case against you. If reasonable doubt can be established that you were not fairly and correctly arrested, there is a chance of getting the charges reduced to a non-DWI offense. Even if a plea bargain emerges as the best option, the Birdsall Law Offices will negotiate with the state to get you the best possible result.

Under state law the first offense for driving while intoxicated in WI is filed as a civil case. It is still a very serious offense, and the penalties can include loss of driver's license, fines, court costs, required, expensive, high-risk auto insurance and a mandatory alcohol evaluation.

A second, third or fourth offense is filed as a misdemeanor criminal case and brings a mandatory jail sentence. The severity of the penalties increases with each additional conviction for drunk driving in Wisconsin. A fifth arrest for DWI is filed as a felony, however lawmakers are considering establishing the third offense as a felony.

Being convicted of two or more WI DWI offenses within ten years would result a criminal arrest record. That could make it difficult to find or keep a job, exclude you from renting a car and keep you from opening a credit account. Canada is increasingly enforcing its policy of denying entry to those with a criminal record, even if it is for misdemeanor DWI.

By fighting the charge of DWI, you may be able to keep your record clean and protect your future and your freedom. Contact the West Bend DWI Attorneys at the Birdsall Law Offices for immediate help.

The Department of Motor Vehicles relies on one of two scenarios during an arrest for driving while intoxicated in Washington County WI to initiate the suspension of your driver's license; 1) you refused to submit to a breath or blood test, or 2) you took a test and registered a BAC at or above the legal limit. The suspension process is part of a civil case that is separate from the DWI case resolved in the courts.

You have the absolute right to fight the license suspension by requesting an Administrative Suspension Review Hearing. You must make such a request within 10 days receiving notification that the DMV intends to suspend your license. Time is extremely critical and if you do not make the request in time, you could automatically lose your license.

Besides possibly saving your driving privileges, the ASR hearing is an opportunity start challenging the state's case. Evidence and testimony are presented at the hearing, giving your attorney invaluable insight into the best defense strategy for your specific DWI. Do not lose this advantage. Contact the West Bend WI DWI Lawyers at Birdsall Law Offices and ask them to schedule and prepare for an ASR hearing now.

The Washington County DWI Lawyers at Birdsall Law Offices practice criminal law and offer complete drunk driving defense. Attorneys John Birdsall and T. J. Perlick-Molinari of the Birdsall Law Offices have a combined 23 years of legal experience. They have gained the respect of other attorneys and clients for the successful defense of those accused of driving while intoxicated in West Bend.

DWI Attorney John Birdsall success with jury trials has resulted in acquittals for his clients at a rate four times the state average. John Birdsall is past-president of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and past-chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Attorney Birdsall continues to serve on the Board of Directors and on the legislative committee of those organizations. He holds an'AV' rating in the Martindale-Hubbel Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, the highest possible ranking awarded by his peers.

West Bend DWI Attorney John Birdsall received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

DWI Lawyer Theodore J. 'T. J.' Perlick-Molinari, an associate with Birdsall Law Offices, extends aggressive, creative drunk driving defense strategies to every client in every case. His approach and commitment has resulted in an impressive record of favorable settlements, reductions and dismissals; including winning difficult cases against experienced prosecutors. T.J. Perlick-Molinari has a trial acquittal rate more than three times the state average for criminal defense attorneys.

Attorney Perlick-Molinari has extensive knowledge in the application of standardized field sobriety tests, the operation of breath testing machines and the process of blood testing. He received an undergraduate degree from Columbia University in New York City and a juris doctorate from Marquette University in Milwaukee. T.J. Perlick-Molinari is a member of Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the National College of DUI Defense and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is permitted to practice law in all Wisconsin courts, including the WI Court Of Appeals, Eastern District Court, Western District Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

For immediate help with your Wisconsin DWI, contact the Birdsall Law Offices by filling out the form to the left or calling (866) 493-0726. The initial review of your case is free and confidential. Remember that time is very important for the successful defense of a DWI, so if you want to get the best result and possibly save your license, call now.