Wisconsin Drunk Driving Defense Lawyers

In Wisconsin, operating while intoxicated (OWI) is treated more seriously with each offense, and the consequences reach your driver’s license, your insurance, your job, and — for repeat offenses — your freedom. Wisconsin is unusual in that a first-offense OWI is generally a civil forfeiture rather than a crime, but a second or subsequent offense is a criminal charge, and certain aggravating facts can make even a first offense criminal.

At Strang Bradley, we defend OWI cases across Wisconsin. These cases can be more defensible than most people assume — they may turn on the legality of the stop, the administration of field sobriety tests, and the accuracy of breath and blood testing, all of which we know how to challenge.

How Wisconsin Treats OWI Offenses

Penalties escalate with each offense and with aggravating circumstances:

• First offense: generally a civil forfeiture (not a crime), with a fine, license revocation, and an OWI surcharge — but no jail
• A first offense becomes a criminal misdemeanor if there was a passenger under 16 in the vehicle or if the incident caused injury
• Second and subsequent offenses are criminal, with escalating mandatory minimums and license penalties
• High blood alcohol concentration and prior offenses may increase the penalties
• Causing great bodily harm or death by intoxicated driving is a serious felony

How We Defend OWI Cases

• Challenging whether police had a lawful reason for the traffic stop
• Attacking the administration and scoring of field sobriety tests
• Questioning the calibration, maintenance, and operation of breath-testing devices
• Challenging the legality of a blood draw and the handling of the sample
• Raising medical conditions, rising BAC, and other explanations for the results
• Scrutinizing whether the State can prove you were actually operating the vehicle

What to Do After an OWI Arrest

• Call an attorney right away. You may have strict deadlines to meet to protect your license. Do not wait.
• Write down everything you remember about the stop, the tests, and the arrest.
• Note the deadlines on the paperwork given to you by police.
• Gather information about any circumstances that could affect the blood/breath test results.

Why Choose Strang Bradley for Your OWI Case

OWI defense is technical work, and the details matter. Our attorneys know how to challenge the science behind breath and blood testing, the legality of the stop, and the reliability of field sobriety tests. We move quickly to protect your license and fight to minimize — or eliminate — the impact of the charge on your life.