Wisconsin DUI Penalties: Life Changing Impact
A DUI will affect you professionally, socially, and financially. There are many aspects a life affected by a Wisconsin DUI that you must be aware of prior to deciding just to plead guilty. A Wisconsin DUI Conviction has huge fines, loss of license, increased insurance rates, jail time, and loss of job.
Wisconsin DUI: Financial Impact
A first offense WI DUI ranges from $515-$665 in fines, plus any additional court costs. A WI OWI second offense fine is between $715 and $1,465. A third and fourth drunk driving offense can cost $965-$2,365. A fourth offense WI DUI with a prior offense within 5 years and a fifth and sixth offense range from $965 to $10,365. All other offenses can be up to $25,000 in fines. These fines do not include any additional court costs, Alcohol Counseling, license reinstatement, or installation of an Ignition Interlock Device.
License Suspension
Having a Wisconsin driver’s license is a privilege, not a right. Receiving a WI DUI will impact your privilege to drive. A first time WI DUI Offense will carry a 6-9 month license suspension. A second WI DUI offense is a 12-18 month license suspension. Additional WI OWI offenses are 2-3 years without a driving privilege. If a person Refuses Chemical Testing they will face an additional 1 to 3 years of suspension, dependent on any prior refusals.
Increased Insurance Rates
Additional insurance rates will apply to a person charged with a WI DUI. If a driver incurred other traffic violations or was in an accident, the rates of insurance will increase. Rates will also increase when you get SR-22 insurance. This insurance is maintained for a minimum of 2-3 years, and increases rates up to 55-70%. You will need SR-22 insurance to apply for an Occupational License.
Potential Jail Time
In Wisconsin, a first offense DUI is a traffic violation and does not include any jail time, unless the driver had a passenger under the age of 16. A second offense can be as little as 5 days and up to 6 months of jail. A third offense in WI ranges from 45 days to 1 year. A fourth offense with no offense within the previous 5 years is 60 days to 1 year of jail time, while a fourth offense with priors within 5 years is 6 months to 6 years. Additional DUI offenses are prison time.
Will You Lose Your Job?
In some instances, a person may lose their job after receiving a WI DUI. Are you a teacher or nurse? What a about a truck driver? Some employers are not able to hold a person’s position within the limited driving hours or over the course of jail time. Maybe you are a graduate student and applying for these or other jobs. Employers do background checks on each potential employee. With this loss of income, paying for fines can become more difficult.
Hire WI DUI Defense Attorney Nathan J. Dineen
A WI DUI impacts all facets of life. In order to limit the feeling of loss, hire a Nathan J. Dineen Attorney At Law to aggressively fight your drunk driving ticket. He practices 100% WI DUI Defense. Contact him 24/7 at 877-384-6800.
