Eagle, Wisconsin, is a charming little community in the Milwaukee metro area. It is known for the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Old World Wisconsin, an open-air museum featuring demonstrations of old-time farming and homesteading. Nearby Jefferson County features Aztalan State Park’s beautiful hiking trails and ancient mounds.
If you’ve been charged with a crime in Eagle or Jefferson County, Wisconsin, all you want to do is return to your life. Criminal charges can damage your reputation, destroy your freedom, and disrupt your future. How can you defend yourself against these charges and their potential consequences? Your best option is to contact a local criminal defense attorney immediately.
Nicholson Goetz & Otis, S.C. is a criminal defense law firm serving Eagle, Wisconsin, and nearby Jefferson County. If you’ve been charged with a crime anywhere in the Milwaukee metro area, we can help you defend yourself against the charges.
Nicholson Goetz & Otis, S.C. can help with many different criminal charges, including:
Whatever you’ve been accused of, we can help.
Under Wisconsin law, having any kind of sexual contact with a person without their consent is the crime of sexual assault. Sexual assault can be a felony or a misdemeanor depending on the circumstances. For instance, sexual contact with an unconscious person is a Class A misdemeanor, but sexual contact with the threat of force is a Class C felony.
Defense strategies for sex crimes include:
Consent is not a defense in every situation. For example, an unconscious or underaged person cannot consent to sexual contact. The specific defense strategy depends on the facts of the case.
If you’re accused of killing someone, whether the charge is murder or manslaughter, you need to mount the most vigorous defense possible to avoid going to prison for years. The best defense against any criminal charge is showing the court that you are not guilty. If you can present an airtight alibi, that’s ideal. However, there are other strong defenses against a homicide charge, including:
While defending against a homicide charge is always challenging, your defense attorney will have one serious advantage. The prosecution must prove you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This provides your attorney with many options for your defense.
In Wisconsin, any crime involving the use or threat of force is considered a violent crime. We can provide a strong defense against many other violent criminal charges other than sex crimes or homicide charges, including robbery, which means theft with the threat or use of violent force, and battery, which means intentionally causing an injury.
Wisconsin is an open-carry state, so it is legal for most people to openly carry a firearm. However, it is illegal to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Some people cannot legally own a firearm in Wisconsin, including:
If you’re charged with illegally carrying a firearm or carrying a concealed weapon without a permit in Eagle, your attorney may try to get the evidence suppressed. If evidence is suppressed because you were searched illegally, the court may dismiss the charges against you.
Stalking is a criminal offense based on a course of conduct. To be convicted of stalking, you must commit two or more of the following acts in such a way as to cause fear or emotional distress:
A stalking offense depends on your intent, so your criminal defense lawyer can argue that you had no intent to cause fear or emotional distress.
Wisconsin defines domestic abuse as the intentional infliction of pain, injury, illness, impairment, or fear on:
A domestic abuse charge requires the arresting officer to determine which person is the primary aggressor. Your defense attorney can present evidence that you were not the primary aggressor but were acting in self-defense, or that your accuser is making false allegations against you.
Human trafficking is the crime of exploiting another person for your own benefit. For instance, forcing another person to engage in prostitution is the crime of human trafficking. The victim in a human trafficking case is often a minor. Human trafficking is a serious felony in Wisconsin, with penalties that can include decades in prison. If you’ve been charged with human trafficking, you need to contact a criminal defense attorney immediately.
All it takes is having one drink too many and getting behind the wheel. DUI charges can happen to anyone. Defense strategies against a DUI charge can include:
If your defense attorney can raise doubts about the evidence against you, they may be able to get the charges reduced or thrown out of court.
Drug charges in Eagle, Wisconsin, can range from a misdemeanor for first-time marijuana possession to a felony for possession of heroin or cocaine or distribution of any illegal drug. To defend against drug charges, your attorney may argue that the police stop was not valid, or that the search of your property was not legal. Your attorney may also negotiate with the prosecutor for reduced charges.
If you’ve been charged with a crime, you may feel overwhelmed by stress and fearful about the future. Don’t give up. With the help of a skilled criminal defense attorney, you can stand up for your rights and fight for your future.
If you need help with criminal defense in Eagle or Jefferson County, Wisconsin, contact Nicholson Goetz & Otis, S.C., to schedule your consultation today.
