Are You Guilty of Battery in Wisconsin?

Perhaps you were in a bar fight? Maybe you had a domestic dispute with your spouse? Whatever the case may be, you’re being charged with battery.
If this is the case for you, you need to be concerned. Battery is regarded as a serious crime in the State of Wisconsin and can even land you in prison. You’ll want to be as prepared as possible so that you can represent yourself well in court.
Read on to better understand the crime of battery in Wisconsin.

What is Considered Battery in Wisconsin?
In the State of Wisconsin, battery is a fairly easy crime to understand. To put it simply, battery involves any situation in which a person purposefully causes harm to another person. The only case in which this would not be considered battery is if a person was causing harm to another person in order to defend him or herself.
It should be noted that not all battery is viewed equally. Varying levels of violence are charged and penalized differently. Whereas minor battery offenses are only considered misdemeanors, major battery offenses are considered felonies.
Battery is also charged differently based on whether it’s domestic or non-domestic battery. Domestic battery is often seen as a much more serious offense than non-domestic battery. In either case, an experienced battery lawyer in Milwaukee will be able to build a defense for you.

Understanding Domestic Battery
In terms of the law, domestic battery in Wisconsin includes any situation in which an individual causes purposeful physical harm to someone he or she shares, or has shared a close intimate relationship with. This includes spouses and ex-spouses.
This battery can be either physical or sexual and will be judged based on its severity. Less severe battery cases involve situations in which individuals suffer only minor injuries. The more severe the injury caused by the battery, the more severe the charge.
For less severe cases, you’ll be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. For more severe cases, you’ll be charged with a Class H or I Felony.

Understanding Non-Domestic Battery
If the person whom you allegedly battered was not in an intimate relationship with you, you will be charged with non-domestic battery. Again, depending on the severity of the battery, you can be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor, a Class H Felony, or Class I Felony.
The vast majority of non-domestic battery cases are considered Class A Misdemeanors. Factors which can bump up the charges include inflicting serious injury and battering a physically disabled individual.
Regardless of which crime you’ve been charged with, you’ll want to hire an attorney. Even a Class A Misdemeanor can land you in prison.

Battery of an Unborn Child
The most serious form of battery in Wisconsin is battery of an unborn child. This occurs when an individual causes injury to a pregnant woman, physically harming her unborn baby in the process.
Again, this crime is charged based on its severity. If serious damage is done to the unborn child, the batterer can be charged with a Class E, I, or H Felony. If only minor damage is done to the child, the batterer will only receive a Class A Misdemeanor.
It is important to note, however, that all of these charges can result in prison sentences. The more serious the crime, the longer the prison sentence.

Defending Yourself Against Battery in Wisconsin
What it all comes down to is that battery is a serious crime. Depending on the severity of the offense, if found guilty, you could be looking at large fines and lengthy prison sentences. For this reason, you want to give yourself as great of a chance as possible in court. Hiring an experienced battery or criminal defense attorney in Milwaukee is critical step.
How do you do this? By hiring the most knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorney team in the Milwaukee– Hartley and Pecora. Looking for knowledgeable and experienced criminal defense attorneys? We here at Hartley Pecora Law Offices are the people to see.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!