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You've Been Charged, What Happens Next?

If you have been charged with a crime in Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, or any other county in the state of Wisconsin, it is important to understand what the criminal procedure looks like. Your case will not be concluded on the first court date and may even last over a year. Most court cases last between three to nine months. During that time, you will have a number of court dates very important to your case, and it is crucial that you understand what they are:

 

		Initial Appearance Your first appearance in front of the court. It is crucial for your attorneys to be present to assist you at this court date.
Preliminary Hearing Determines if there is enough probable cause to send your case to trial. This hearing only applies to felony offenses.
		Further Proceedings These dates are used by the court and the attorneys involved to monitor the progress of what is going on with your case.
Motions When an experienced criminal defense attorney fights the legality of something that happened during the investigation and arrest.
		Diversionary Agreements and Deferred Prosecution Agreements Enter into a contract with the State of Wisconsin or the prosecutor, to follow the terms and conditions of the agreement for a certain length of time
Jury Trial If your case goes to trial, your case will be presented to a group of randomly selected jurors.
		Plea Judge will ask you a series of questions to make sure you understand the rights you are giving up by choosing to enter a plea
Sentencing Begins with the prosecutor making any remarks about the case, highlighting the aggravating factors, as well as making a record of anything that any identified victims may want to say

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We help you through the entire legal process, producing powerful defenses on your behalf and winning cases for innocent defendants all across southeast Wisconsin. If you’ve been accused of a crime, don’t settle for a public defender. Rely on our team of aggressive criminal defense attorneys to represent your interests to the fullest extent of the law. We have a proven history of success, from negotiating felonies down to misdemeanors to significantly reducing fines and the outright dismissal of charges. If you’ve been charged with a crime, don’t delay in calling our Milwaukee criminal defense attorneys. We handle all areas of criminal law, including drunk driving offenses and drug possession.

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