Third Offense OWI/DUI in Wisconsin

Anyone who gets a third offense OWI/DUI in Wisconsin will soon find out that a lot of penalties come along with this offense.  For anyone to get even one OWI/DUI is a big deal so a third offense is an extremely serious matter.  The penalties that you get will depend on how you handle this matter.  This means that you will need a lawyer to discuss your options to possibly get reduced penalties.  Here is what you should know about the penalties for getting a third offense OWI/DUI in Wisconsin.

Administrative Penalties

In Wisconsin the administrative penalties for this third offense are as follows.  Your license will be revoked for a period of 2 to 3 years.  The fines in Wisconsin that go along with this offense include a fine.  This fine can be anywhere from $600 to $2,000 in addition to the $355 surcharge.  The fine range is based upon the prohibited alcohol concentration.  In some cases you may have to pay more than even $6,000 if your blood alcohol content is high enough.

Criminal Penalties

The criminal penalties for a third offense OWI/DUI include jail time.  The amount of jail time that you receive for this offense can be anywhere from 30 days to 1 year.

The Lookback Period

The lookback period is how far back in time courts will look to count offenses together.  This means that another offense must have happened within this time range for the current offense to be counted as a second or third offense.  For Wisconsin the lookback period is 10 years.

Felony Vs Misdemeanor In Wisconsin

In Wisconsin a felony can have penalties like prison time, fines, or a combination of both.  The prison time served for a felony will be served in a state prison.  For a misdemeanor in Wisconsin, the penalties may also include fines, jail time, or both.  The time spent in jail for a misdemeanor will be spent at a county or local municipal jail. 

Plea Options

You probably are already aware that when you go to court for your third offense OWI/DUI in Wisconsin that you have multiple plea options.  You can plead guilty if you did commit the crime or not guilty if you did not commit the crime.  You may also have an opportunity for plea bargaining and get reduced charges but this depends on the case and the prosecutor in question. 

Hiring A Lawyer

You will need a lawyer to successfully navigate the Wisconsin legal system.  As you have seen with your plea options, your penalties may depend on how you handle this matter and your lawyer will be able to help you to handle it effectively.