Penalties You Could Be Facing After a Fourth Offense
Fines
You could be paying fines that range anywhere from $600 to $10,000 for your DUI or OWI charge. Your fine can be doubled if there was a passenger under the age of 16 in the vehicle at the time of your arrest. Your fines can also be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled based on your blood alcohol content (BAC). For example, if your BAC was 0.25 or higher, you could be facing fines of up to $40,000.
Restricted Rights
In the state of Wisconsin, felons cannot vote until they have fulfilled all conditions of their sentence and are no longer on probation, parole, or extended supervision. In addition, felons cannot own firearms.
Permanent License Suspension
If your fourth DUI or OWI occurs within 15 years of your third DUI or OWI conviction, your driver's license will be revoked for the rest of your life. If the DUI offense occurs after 15 years, your license will be revoked for two to three years.
No Occupational Permit for 10 Years
While drivers in second- and third-offense OWIs can apply for an occupational permit 45, 60, or 90 days after their conviction (depending on the details of the case), a driver in a fourth-offense OWI/DUI isn't eligible. Instead, drivers with a fourth OWI/DUI have to wait 10 years before they can apply to reinstate their license.
Ignition Interlock Device
Even with a license suspension, you'll still have to install an ignition interlock device in every vehicle you own and pay the monthly fees. This device will have to remain in each vehicle for up to three years and for the duration of your confinement.
Life Challenges
A felony on your criminal record can tarnish your reputation and make it difficult to find employment, apply for housing, apply for loans, and more, making your life significantly more difficult.
Jail Time
A fourth DUI conviction comes with a mandatory minimum of 60 days in jail, but you could be facing up to six years in prison. Your jail time could be doubled if there was a minor in the vehicle at the time of your drunk driving or impaired driving arrest.
Getting Your Fourth DUI Is Easy
After a third OWI/DUI offense, you're at an increased risk of conviction. While the legal BAC limit for drivers in Wisconsin is 0.08%, those with a third DUI offense have a BAC limit of just 0.02% for the rest of their lives. This means you could get your fourth DUI offense after one or two drinks, even if your last DUI or OWI conviction was decades ago.
Don't Let a Fourth DUI Offense Change Your Life Put Our Lawyers on Your Side
A drunk driving incident can change your life in an instant, and with a fourth DUI or OWI, you're facing the serious consequences that come along with this felony charge. Don't let a moment of poor judgment change your life forever. Our attorneys have helped many clients like you who were facing OWI or DUI charges have the charges reduced or dropped altogether—and we will fight to do the same for you.
We have offices in Milwaukee, Oshkosh, West Bend, and Waukesha to best serve the needs of our clients throughout Wisconsin. If you're ready to explore having our DUI lawyers build your case, request your free consultation today.
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“I owe a great debt of thanks to Andrew Mishlove. He successfully defended me in an OWI case that endured for more than 6 ½ years in the Wisconsin judicial system, including a detour through the Wisconsin State Supreme Court system, and ultimately led to a showdown in an Ozaukee County criminal court resulting in a not-guilty verdict returned by a 12-member jury in February 2023. I think my experience qualifies me to personally attest to Andrew Mishlove’s reputation as a brilliant trial attorney and one of the best OWI defense lawyers in the entire country.” Ries
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“Andrew Mishlove recently defended my son at his OWI trial. It was Mr. Mishlove's thorough preparation of all materials and ability to present facts in a clear manner that permitted the jury to unanimously vote Not Guilty. Look no further. Well worth the cost! Highly recommend!” Karen