With warmer months drawing near, the urge to crack open a cold one becomes greater. In Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, Eau Claire, Eau Claire, County, Menomonie, Dunn County,  Rice Lake or Barron County, Wisconsin, the warm weather causes a rise in driving under the influence, especially with Memorial Day fast approaching. While a DUI charge is nothing to joke about, the severity of the situation increases dramatically when the driver is underage.

The family is put at a great risk for legal and financial implications when an underage driver is caught driving under the influence. Consulting an experienced criminal defense lawyer who specializes in juvenile OWI charges is the absolute first step you should take when facing underage driving litigation.

Awareness of possible actions to take is essential in legally protecting yourself or a juvenile family member in need of assistance. For example, there is no light warning for those committing a first offense in driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The danger of juvenile drivers increases from an already at-risk standpoint regarding safe driving, so when you add an additional disabling layer it becomes even more dangerous for a young driver to operate a vehicle. Consequences for an underage driver can and will be more serious than that of an adult. Any BAC reading above 0.00% is counted as a juvenile an OWI crime while drivers who are 21 and over with a .08 BAC or below do not receive a DUI charge consequently.

Charges for driving under the age of 21 can be the same OWI charges as an adult if ANY unlawful, impairing substance is found in the vehicle. The substances can include cannabis, alcohol or even over-the-counter medicine. OWI laws in Wisconsin for underage divers fall under a zero-tolerance policy. 

After a first-time charge for an underage driver operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a suspended driver’s license for up to 9 months and a fine of a couple hundred dollars can be the result. An adult will face the same penalty unless convicted of other charges. 

If an underage driver is charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Wisconsin, their car insurance payments will exponentially increase, especially after the first offense. An underage DUI conviction can result in additional premium costs or in a much more serious case, being dropped from your insurance carrier entirely. Insurance companies can legally drop your policy without warning, which will make it almost impossible to find a different policy under different insurance that will take the risk of covering a convicted driver.  

If an additional DUI or OWI charge is received up to 10 years after the initial conviction, you can be given fines beginning at $300 and can be increased to $1000, with an additional year in prison and a suspended driver’s license for at a minimum of one year. These penalties will not only affect you financially, but will negatively impact your social, familial and professional lives.

A DUI/OWI DEFENSE ATTORNEY SPECIALIZING IN JUVENILE CASES IS MANDATORY FOR SUCH CASES

Convictions of operating a vehicle under the influence are extremely complex, which makes it a necessity that you hire a specialized criminal defense attorney who is experienced in underage DUI and OWI cases.

OWI criminal defense lawyers, such as Mullen Schlough & Associates S.C., will increasingly help your case by understanding the circumstances to convict a driver of an OWI in Wisconsin. Especially in the case of a juvenile driver. For example, in a bodily specimen tests there are many steps involved that can be grounds for dismissal. Many times, a DUI defense attorney will uncover potential circumstantial misreadings when it comes to proving the use of alcohol, marijuana, or even prescription medications that come with warning labels pertaining to the operation of heavy machinery after taking.

A specialized juvenile criminal defense attorney experienced in this field can gain insight on how and where the blood was examined, as well as if the machinery used to test the blood was operating correctly. Other defenses can include defenses and violations against the constitution relating to an underage OWI conviction, can be taken into consideration by a juvenile DUI lawyer, which will be harder for an attorney lacking experience to identify. Experienced lawyers are required to assess and defend complex cases, such as a juvenile OWI charge.

It is in your best interest to hire the most experienced juvenile DUI defense attorney in Wisconsin to take care of your case if you or someone you know has recently been charged with a DUI or OWI. Get in touch with the lawyers at Mullen Schlough & Associates S.C. today for a free consultation in order to get educated on payment plans.