Drunk driving offenses in River Falls, Hudson Wisconsin and beyond can be civil offenses, misdemeanors or felonies. Angela has had success reducing client’s felony DWIs to misdemeanors. Felonies have much more serious impacts on your future than misdemeanors. Plus, the penalties for felonies are much more severe than the penalties for misdemeanors.
Definitions:
A BOND is a condition imposed by a judge on you while your case is pending in court. You can have a signature bond, cash bond or other nonmonetary conditions while your case is pending.
A FELONY is a serious crime punishable by a fine and /or jail or prison time for more than one year. Among other ramifications, felonies have serious impacts on your abilities to find jobs, vote, and carry firearms.
A MISDEMEANOR is a crime less serious than a felony punishable by a fine and/or jail time for up to one year.
FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS are tests police officers use to determine if there is probable cause to arrest you for drunk driving. Standardized field sobriety tests include Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN), Walk and Turn (WAT) and One Leg Stand (OLS).
OWI is the term in Wisconsin for Operating While Intoxicated (DWI DUI in other states).
A PORTABLE BREATH TEST (PBT) is the test used at the scene of a drunk driving stop to determine if there is probable cause to arrest you. You will also be asked to take another chemical test of your blood, breath or urine at the hospital or police station.
A REFUSAL is a civil test for not submitting to a chemical test of your blood, breath or urine at an officer’s request. If you receive a refusal citation, you have to respond within 10 days of receiving the ticket, so contact an attorney immediately if possible.