A conviction for a DUI in Wisconsin stays on your record and will always be there. Specifically, any drunk driving offense after 1989 counts towards your lifetime total when it comes to DUI penalties. If you go ten years without a DUI, your next DUI will be counted as a first offense for penalty purposes. This is called a second first offense. However, that only applies for your second offense DUI. After two DUIs, no matter how long in-between convictions, your lifetime convictions are counted for penalty purposes.

Every DUI conviction in Wisconsin matters!

Although a first offense DUI in Wisconsin is not a criminal matter, you may want to treat it as one. The consequences relating to any DUI conviction can be substantial. With each conviction, the consequences become more severe. The fact that a conviction never comes off your record makes fighting your charge that much more important. You could go twenty years with out having a conviction after your second DUI and it will not matter. Another conviction will mean mandatory jail time with your third offense DUI.

What about a drunk driving conviction from another state?

Wisconsin will count a drunk driving conviction from another state in determining penalties. In fact, any conviction for an offense that has a prohibited alcohol concentration will count. This includes absolute sobriety violations as well as refusals. Penalties continue to increase with every DUI conviction. The DUI lawyers at DK Anderson, S.C. can help.