Misdemeanor Charges & Penalties

Wisconsin Laws

Wisconsin statutory laws provide that a felony is any crime for which the penalty can be one or more years in a state prison, and a misdemeanor is any other crime.

Misdemeanors are crimes, but they are lesser offenses than felonies.

The penalties for a misdemeanor crime can include jail time, fines, or both, as well as other forfeitures (such as an automobile for a drunk driving offense). Sentencing that includes jail time will usually be for less than one year, but can be in excess of one year and circumstances, charges or issues after incarceration can cause the period of time to exceed one year.

Fines can be for amounts up to thousands of dollars, depending on the conviction.

Court ordered forfeitures can include property such as may be required by the sentencing for an OWI conviction when a person is ordered to surrender their vehicle.

Related:
Felony Penalties

Contact Information

Telephone: 608.250.3500
Toll-free: 1.866.514.0647
E-mail Attorney Chirafisi
Request a free initial consultation