Wisconsin drunk-driving arrests often result in the loss of your license -- but a good Wisconsin DUI lawyer can help. Taking the right steps now, whether you’re on the hook for a Wisconsin OWI or a DUI charge, can mean the difference between keeping your license and catching a ride with friends for the next several months.

1. First, make certain you choose an experienced Wisconsin DUI lawyer. There are so many factors to consider with a charge like a DUI. Wisconsin doesn’t offer light penalties; choosing an attorney who has been consistently successful at fighting DUI charges is key.
2. Make certain you request a hearing. While you’re doing so, you should ensure the arresting officer is present. In Wisconsin, drunk-driving offenders have a chance to preview the trial at hearings like these, and that can give you and your Wisconsin OWI attorney an opportunity to prepare a defense that will truly protect you. Requesting the officer’s presence can require him to testify, giving you one more advantage in the long run.
3. Have the blood sample retested. Wisconsin drunk-driving arrests often end in a blood sample to determine your blood alcohol level, but testing errors happen every day. Having the sample retested can ensure you’re not a victim of one of those errors.
4. If you’re being charged with a DUI, Wisconsin law requires that both the initial stop and the subsequent arrest must be based on the officer’s reasonable suspicion. The officer must have had a reasonable suspicion that a crime or traffic infraction was being committed at the time of the stop, and once you were stopped, he or she must have had a reasonable suspicion that you were driving in an impaired state. Understanding both of these things before you go to court is one solid way to protect your license.
5. Any good Wisconsin DUI lawyer will tell you that the timing of the tests performed on you must meet certain guidelines, so looking at the reports along with their times is a big part of preparing your defense strategy.
6. Wisconsin OWI law says the samples you provided for the police must be properly labeled, and an expiration date must be on the test vials. It helps to ensure the evidence was properly tested. If the labeling is incorrect or the seals aren’t fresh, they don’t have a case against you.
7. Your Wisconsin DUI lawyer should let you know that there is more than one hearing in each case, and a motor vehicle hearing is just part of the process. That said, you must attend it to ensure errors or fabrications aren’t presented as evidence against you.

Wisconsin Drunk-driving Doesn’t Always Mean a Lost License

Following these steps and making the right choice when it comes to a Wisconsin DUI lawyer is essential if you want to build a solid defense for the case that’s about to be presented against you.