DUI Attorney in Mequon, WI

How Mequon DUI Charges Move Through the Courts

Mequon is located in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. Where your case is heard depends on the nature of the charge. Municipal-level citations are handled by the Mid-Moraine Municipal Court, which serves multiple cities in Washington and Ozaukee Counties.

Criminal OWI charges, which include second offense and above, as well as first offenses with aggravating factors such as a minor passenger under 16 in the vehicle, are prosecuted in Ozaukee County Circuit Court. We represent clients at both levels and understand how cases move through each venue.

Wisconsin’s implied consent law requires any driver lawfully arrested for OWI to submit to a chemical test. Refusing that test triggers separate administrative penalties, including license revocation and potential ignition interlock requirements, on top of any criminal proceedings.

What’s at Stake with a Wisconsin OWI Conviction

Wisconsin treats OWI offenses progressively, and the consequences escalate quickly. A first-offense OWI is classified as a civil forfeiture in most situations, but it stays on your record permanently and increases the severity of any future charge. Penalties can include fines, a license revocation of six to nine months, and a mandatory alcohol and drug assessment.

A second offense is a criminal charge carrying five days to six months in jail, 12 to 18 months of license revocation, ignition interlock device installation, and SR-22 insurance requirements. A third offense raises mandatory jail time to 45 days to one year, fines of $600 to $2,000 plus surcharges, and two to three years of license revocation, with no 10-year lookback limit from that point forward.

Beyond criminal penalties, an OWI conviction can affect travel to Canada, CDL holder status, professional licensing, and employment. Wisconsin OWI convictions can’t be expunged. The record is permanent.

How We Build a Defense for Mequon OWI Cases

We don’t approach cases looking for the fastest resolution. We approach them looking for the strongest defense. That means examining every element of the arrest: whether the initial traffic stop was legally justified, how field sobriety tests were administered, whether breathalyzer equipment was properly calibrated, and how chemical test evidence was handled from collection through the lab.

Field sobriety tests can produce false positives. Officers receive standardized training, but environmental conditions and administration errors can undermine the reliability of results. Blood and breath test evidence is subject to challenge based on machine calibration records, chain of custody, and laboratory procedures. A driver can be charged with OWI in Wisconsin even with a blood alcohol concentration below 0.08 if an officer asserts impairment, which makes the documentation surrounding the stop and testing critical to any defense.

We develop individualized strategies based on the specific facts of each client’s case, publish those results publicly, and prepare for trial in every matter we take on.

Peer Recognition in Wisconsin DUI Defense

Dennis Melowski has been named a Wisconsin Super Lawyer in DUI defense every year since the list began in 2005, the only attorney in the state with that continuous designation. In 2015, the Wisconsin Law Journal named him one of 30 Leaders in the Law statewide, selected from a bar of more than 15,000 attorneys. He was the only DUI defense attorney to receive that honor in the award’s 12-year history at the time.

He has been named one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Wisconsin by the National Trial Lawyers since 2007 and has received the Avvo Clients’ Choice designation for DUI defense in Wisconsin every year since 2014. Newsweek profiled him as one of eight leading criminal defense attorneys in the country in November 2011 and again as a leading trial attorney in November 2012. Forbes Magazine’s Best in Business edition featured Melowski & Singh, LLC in September 2008 as the only law firm selected in the Milwaukee area.

Sarvan Singh has been named to the Wisconsin Rising Stars list on multiple occasions. Together, their recognition reflects the firm’s consistent standing among Wisconsin’s most peer-respected DUI defense practices.