Wisconsin Resisting Arrest Charges
When a person is arrested, the law states that he or she must undergo this process without taking dangerous or threatening force against police officers. If a person puts up physical resistance or meaningfully threatens to do so, the individual may be charged with resisting arrest. In Wisconsin, these are serious allegations and may lead to substantial criminal penalties if a person is convicted.
Conditions for Resisting Arrest
In order to be charged and convicted of resisting arrest, a defendant must be found guilty of violating the specific conditions of the law. Resisting arrest is defined as the following:
- Using force against an officer during the process of an arrest
- Threatening to use force against an officer during an arrest
- Providing false evidence of information during an arrest to mislead the police
Resisting arrest is a class A misdemeanor that can come with maximum consequences of up to nine months in prison and $10,000 in financial penalties. For repeat offenders, maximum jail sentence is two years in prison. Additionally, if a police officer is injured in the resistance or if false information leading to the conviction of an innocent person is provided during the resistance, this crime may be classified as a class H felony. If a defendant is convicted of a class H felony, he or she may face up to six years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Contact Us
If you’ve been charged with resisting arrest, these allegations could drastically impact your personal life and professional reputation. Thus, you should closely consider the full range of legal options available to you as a defendant. To learn more about these options and how we may be able to help you with your case, contact a lawyer from Hart Powell, S.C. at (414) 271-9595 today.