Christopher T. Van Wagner S.C.

Attorney Christopher T. Van Wagner is one of the most experienced and accomplished criminal defense attorneys in Wisconsin.

The Days Of Handling Drunk Driving Charges Without A Lawyer Are Past There may have been a time when a person facing a drunk driving charge could show up in court without legal representation and get through the process relatively unscathed, but those days are long gone. The stigma attached to drunk driving nationwide has resulted in severe penalties and aggressive enforcement of drunk driving laws. If you are arrested in Wisconsin for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI), you will face $1,000 or more in fines, fees and increased insurance rates, and your driver’s license can be revoked for up to nine months. If your blood alcohol content was .15 or above, you will be required to install an ignition interlock device in your car. What’s more, a Wisconsin OWI charge triggers legal action on two fronts — the court case involving the criminal charge and an administrative hearing regarding your immediate driving privileges.

Minimize The Impact Of An OWI Charge

In this day and age, a person who faces a drunk driving charge without a lawyer is practically begging for the stiffest possible penalties. I am Christopher T. Van Wagner, an experienced OWI/DUI attorney who has a proven record of helping Wisconsin residents minimize the impact of a drunk driving charge.

I know the defense strategies that work, I understand what factors can lead to reduced charges, and I know how to negotiate alternative sentences that can keep you out of jail. In many cases, I can help you retain full driving privileges or obtain an occupational license that allows you to drive to work and make other essential trips.

If you have one or more OWI convictions on your record, the penalties are exponentially harsher and the case becomes that much more difficult to defend. If you are charged with drunk driving and you were involved in a serious injury accident, it could result in a prison sentence of more than 12 years. An OWI accident that causes a death can result in a prison sentence of 25 years for a first-time offender and 40 years for someone with a previous OWI conviction.

About Chris

Chris has practiced law for 35 years, and has focused entirely on criminal defense for the past 20 years. Christopher Van Wagner provides assertive and intelligent legal representation for people who face a wide range of criminal charges, from operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) to assault, sexual assault and homicide. Many of these cases pose difficult challenges because of the nature of the crimes and the negative public reaction to them. Chris grew up in a middle-class Irish Catholic family of 11 children in the working-class world of Trenton, New Jersey. He put himself through St. Lawrence University in upstate New York, earning honors in English Literature. Chris earned his law degree at Cornell University Law School, where he was named an editor of the Law Review, a high academic honor reserved for the top 10 percent of Cornell law students. Upon graduating from law school, Chris then worked as a clerk for the Hon. Dick Debevoise in the U.S. District Court for New Jersey. After an uninspiring year in a large New Jersey law firm, Chris then worked as a prosecutor in Trenton, New Jersey. Chris tried more than 50 felony cases to final jury verdict. After a brief stint at a downtown Chicago law firm (Mayer Brown on LaSalle Street), he returned to his first love – criminal law – as a federal prosecutor in Madison. In 1994, Christopher T. Van Wagner returned to private practice and committed himself to defending everyday people who face criminal charges in both state and federal courts. Chris also aggressively defends people who face charges of drunk driving, including repeat OWI/DWI offenses, OWI accidents with injuries and OWI accidents that resulted in a fatality. Through all of this, Chris has earned a stellar reputation across the “left side” of the state of Wisconsin as a trial lawyer who fights for his clients. Prosecutors know – or soon learn – that Christopher T. Van Wagner does not fold his cards merely because they claim to have a strong case. Christopher T. Van Wagner has an “AV” rating* in the peer review system created by Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest rating an attorney can receive. This honor comes from lawyers across the state and across the spectrum of practice areas. Chris has been recognized numerous times as a Super Lawyer, an honor given only to the top 5 percent of attorneys in Wisconsin. Additionally, Chris has appeared as a legal analyst and expert commentator on national shows such as Court TV, the Dan Abrams Report on MSNBC, the Today show, Good Morning America and ABC News, as well as local broadcasts such as ABC Madison Channel 27 and Madison Channel 3000 (C3K). Chris currently serves as president of the Dane County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, where he puts his experience and knowledge to use daily as he works to mentor the next generation of trial lawyers.