OWI Lawyer
The criminal defense attorney you choose to handle your drunk driving case plays a significant role in the effectiveness of your DUI defense strategy. Hiring an experienced attorney to protect your rights can mean the difference between getting your charges and/or penalties reduced or dropped altogether, and having a conviction that follows you for the rest of your life.
OWI attorney Spiros Nicolet has provided top-tier legal representation to the people of Wisconsin and Illinois since 1991. Spiros has earned a reputation among his clients and peers for his extensive knowledge of DUI cases, skill in the courtroom, and unsurpassed personalized legal services.
Call our DUI defense law firm at
(312) 877-6886 for a FREE consultation.
Hire Criminal Defense Attorney Spiros Nicolet to Protect Your License and Your Freedom
If you’re facing a criminal charge for DUI, DWI, or OWI in the Chicago or Milwaukee area, you need the help of a defense lawyer who cares as much about your legal issues and the outcome of your case as you do. OWI lawyer Spiros Nicolet may be able to help you avoid an ignition interlock device, driver’s license suspension, and other severe consequences that often accompany a conviction for driving under the influence.
for a free consultation.
What Qualifies as Drunk Driving in Wisconsin and Illinois?
- Operating a motor vehicle with a BAC level (blood alcohol content) over the legal limit (0.08 or greater)
- Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, prescription medication, illegal substances, or other impairing substances
- Operating a motor vehicle as a commercial driver with a BAC of over 0.04
What Are the Penalties for an OWI Conviction?
Are you facing drunk driving charges in Wisconsin or Illinois? Commonly referred to as an OWI (operating a vehicle while intoxicated), DUI (driving under the influence), or DWI (driving while intoxicated), drunk driving is not a minor offense. Your career, your financial security, and your freedom are on the line. Because OWI charges can result in serious, and even lifelong consequences, they should not be taken lightly.
Depending on whether this is your first or second OWI, or you’ve had multiple drunk driving convictions in the past, the penalties you’re now facing may range from moderate to severe. If certain factors were present during your arrest, the penalties you face may be enhanced.
An OWI conviction in Wisconsin or Illinois could result in:
- Loss of Your Driving Privileges
- Significant Fines
- Extensive Jail Time
- Damaged Reputation
- Permanent Criminal Record
- Vehicle Forfeiture
- Court-Ordered Rehab
- Ignition Interlock Device
- The Inability to Work in Certain Fields
People who are convicted of a second OWI face mandatory jail time. DUI charges evolve into Felony charges if this is your fourth or subsequent conviction.
Criminal Defense Strategies for OWI Charges
To achieve a conviction in your DUI case, the burden of proof in a jury trial rests on the State. Even if your case appears to be cut and dry, DUI lawyers may be able to get your charges reduced or even eliminated. When laying the foundation for your drunk driving defense strategy, your OWI attorney will look for weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Your criminal defense lawyer will consider:
The Traffic Stop
Law enforcement officers must have had a valid reason to have pulled you over in the first place for your arrest to be legal. If you were not speeding, running a stop sign or red light, committing another criminal act, or other legal justifications did not exist, the police officer may not have had the legal right to pull you over.
Search and Seizure
Your Fourth Amendment right protects you from unreasonable search and seizure by law enforcement officers. If the police officer searched your property without a legally justifiable reason, your permission, or a warrant, your criminal defense attorney can help make sure that any evidence discovered or seized illegally is thrown out of court.
Field Sobriety Tests
Your OWI lawyer will consider whether standardized field sobriety tests were administered, when the tests were administered, and whether the proper procedures were followed when conducting the test(s). Your criminal defense attorney may also challenge the accuracy of test results.
Your Arrest
DUI defense attorneys will also evaluate whether the police officer had probable cause to arrest you, and whether proper procedures were followed after your arrest. Criminal charges in drunk driving cases may be able to be dropped altogether if DUI defense attorneys can prove that your rights were violated or your arrest was not legally justifiable.
Chemical Testing Procedures
Criminal defense attorneys frequently challenge the accuracy of blood tests and breathalyzer results in DUI cases. As part of your DUI defense, your attorney may assert that the device was improperly calibrated, the test was not properly administered, the machine was damaged, or the test was not properly handled.
Facing DUI Charges in Chicago, IL? OWI Charges in Milwaukee, WI? The Clock Is Ticking
If you have been charged with a DUI in Chicago, IL, or an OWI in Wisconsin, the time to hire a criminal defense attorney is now. Posting bail and getting released from custody are just the beginning, and the first 10 days after your arrest are critical. If you fail to take necessary steps and file the petition to rescind your license suspension with the courts by the deadline, you could lose your driver’s license.
