Wisconsin Criminal Defense Lawyer

Wisconsin Criminal Laws, Charges & Penalties

Attorney Mark Hersh defends clients accused of all criminal charges anywhere in Wisconsin. His office is in Glendale, WI, just north of Milwaukee. 

Wisconsin Felony Charges

There are 9 classes of Felonies under Wisconsin criminal law. All felonies are punishable with time in a Wisconsin state prison. The nine classes of felonies are:

• Class A Felony - life in prison.
• Class B Felony - up to 60 yrs in prison
• Class C Felony- up to 40 yrs and $100,000.
• Class D Felony- up to 25 yrs and $100,000.
• Class E Felony- up to 15 yrs and $50,000.
• Class F Felony - up to 12 1/2 yrs and $25,000.
• Class G Felony- up to 10 yrs and $25,000.
• Class H Felony- up to 6 yrs and $10,000.
• Class I Felony - up to 3 1/2 yrs and $10,000.

After any Wisconsin felony conviction, you will no longer be permitted to hunt or carry any gun or firearm, and you will no longer be eligible to vote or serve on a jury. 

Wisconsin Misdemeanor Charges

A misdemeanor charge is for lesser crimes, and any jail time you may be sentenced to would be in a county or local jail instead of the state prison.

• Class A Misdemeanor - up to 9 months in prison (up to 2 additional yrs for a repeat offender), files of up to $10,000.
• Class B Misdemeanor - up to 90 days in prison (up to 2 additional yrs for a repeat offender), files of up to $1,000.
• Class C Misdemeanor - up to 30 days in prison (up to 2 additional yrs for a repeat offender), files of up to $500.

Wisconsin Ordinance Violations

An ordinance violation is a law at the city, town or county level, which is not considered a criminal offense.  Typical ordinance violations are shoplifting (retail theft), disorderly conduct, and many traffic charges. For most of these ordinance violations and non-criminal offenses, you are not arrested or taken into custody.

The burden of proof in these cases is actually lower than in a crime, and it may be more difficult to defend yourself. It's worth a consultation with an attorney to determine what the legal and collateral consequences may be such as license suspensions, and points on your driving record. If there is a way to lessen these consequences, you'll want to know about it.

A typical penalty for an ordinance violation is a fine (called a forfeiture, since it's not a "crime").

Other Wisconsin Penalties

A judge can order probation for up to 2 years as part of a criminal sentence, and there may be a variety of conditions attached to that probation.

Any criminal charge, misdemeanor or felony should be taken very seriously, as a criminal conviction will impact the rest of your life. Please call me anytime for a free consultation in your Wisconsin criminal case. I'll give you the benefit of my experience and an honest assessment of your case. There's no fee or obligation for my consultation. Defending people like you is what I do for a living. It's my passion and my cause. Call now at 414-332-9400.

Sincerely, 

Mark Hersh, Wisconsin Criminal Defense Attorney