Posted on September 20, 2016 in OWI/DUI

At least two changes occurred earlier this year making Wisconsin stricter in how it deals with drunk-drivers. One of the changes was a new law that removed the right of first time drunk-drivers to refuse providing a blood sample to law enforcement. The new law, which went into effect back in March, allows officers to request a warrant for a blood sample. Then a second law went into effect in April which made a fourth drunk-driving offense automatically a felony. Previously, such offenses were misdemeanors in most cases.

These changes are both part of the landscape of Wisconsin’s drunk-driving policy. In our last post, we began looking at a recent analysis conducted by the website WalletHub which ranked the states according to their strictness in addressing drunk-driving. As we noted, the state of Wisconsin ranked at number 37, meaning that the state is closer to the lenient side in its DUI policies. As the above changes in law demonstrate, though, it is becoming stricter.

The WalletHub analysis highlighted a number of points concerning Wisconsin’s drunken driving policy and landscape:

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 Posted on September 19, 2016 in Criminal Defense

Previously, we commented on the importance of criminal defendants working with an experienced attorney to carefully scrutinize the actions of law enforcement officers and agents to protect their constitutional rights and to build a strong criminal defense case. The way in which law enforcement carries out its duties can and does come into play in criminal defense work, and criminal defendants deserve to know how to take advantage of the protections built into the process.

One of the tactics commonly used in law enforcement is sting operations, which come in different forms, including setting up fake businesses to catch criminals in the act. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has, in the past, heavily used this strategy in the form of undercover storefront operations. As a recent article noted, though, the use of fake storefront operations in law enforcement has been, and continues to be, problematic.

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 Posted on September 16, 2016 in Criminal Defense

Combating drug trafficking and related crimes is a high priority for law enforcement officials at both the state and the federal level, and government spends significant resources every year to target drug offenders. Law enforcement officials are particularly keen to target operations that serve as hubs in the drug market, such as the Milwaukee-based group known as “Bless Team”.

The group, according to law enforcement has been connected to 22 drug overdoses and is suspected of daily involvement in criminal activity in the city of Milwaukee. A number of members of the group, whose videos can be watched on YouTube, have already been convicted of drug-related crimes, and more cases are in the works. These cases are possible in large part because of focused efforts to target the group.

Wisconsin’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), which consists of 12 area police agencies, has put a particular focus on fighting the Bless Team, using a variety of tools to halt their activity. These tools include surveillance of the mobile houses vehicles with tinted windows used by the group, as well as informants who can provide details about the group’s operations.

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 Posted on September 16, 2016 in OWI/DUI

Every year, thousands are injured in drunken driving accidents, and almost one out of three traffic deaths on American roads involve drunk driving. Wisconsin is no exception; in 2014 the Badger State saw nearly 2,700 injuries and 162 fatalities from alcohol related accidents.

To help reduce these frightening statistics, on July 1, 2010 Wisconsin Act 100 went into effect, which requires judges to order an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) in certain cases.

What is an ignition interlock device?

This is a device, similar to a breathalyzer, which is installed in the vehicle and measures the amount of alcohol in the driver's system. The driver must breathe into it, and if the alcohol level exceeds the pre-programmed amount, the device temporary locks the vehicle's ignition. The first fail results in the ignition being locked for a few minutes; each successive fail will disable the vehicle for a longer period. The data from each breath sample are sent to the institution that ordered the device.

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