Criminal Defense Attorneys, Civil, and Personal Injury

You should hire a criminal defense lawyer if you could potentially go to jail or prison.

Serious crimes such as federal offenses, assault, or homicide put your livelihood and life on the line. A lawyer can help you navigate or reduce time in jail.

You may need a civil litigation attorney or litigator if the case is emotionally-charged or complicated.

Whether you are pursuing a civil case or defending yourself in a civil case, understanding the complexities of legal documents, court proceedings, and contracts requires objectivity and level-headedness that an experienced attorney can provide.

You should also hire a civil litigator if the opposing party has an attorney.

If you have been injured as a result of negligence or recklessness, you may be entitled to compensation.

Medical bills, insurance claims, and pain and suffering can be insurmountable and ongoing, and an attorney can help you receive justice.

A lawyer should be open to answering all of your questions and making your feel comfortable moving forward with your case and be honest with you. even if decisions are tough.

A lawyer should be responsive to you and have many channels of communication.

A lawyer should have a proven history of results and should be well-reviewed.

Our lawyers have a long history of success in Wisconsin legal cases.

Every legal situation is vastly different, but there are some foundational factors to consider.

First, we look at if you or if someone else was at fault for the accident, dispute, or injury.

Liability can weigh heavily in a case.

Then we determine if negligence or recklessness was a cause of a physical or emotional injury.

Damages are evaluated, including financial (future medical expenses, potential to lose earnings) or personal losses (pain and suffering) and we seek to determine if a judgement can be satisfied by the party who caused the damages; i.e. are the uninsured, competent, etc.

Legal cases typically take between 1-2 years to resolve. If a lawsuit must be filed, a trial date may take anywhere from 12-18 months to be set, depending on the factors involved, cooperation of parties, and volume of cases in the system. Other things that may lengthen the process of a case are the completion of medical treatment and doctor’s bills, police reports, or insurance claims. Our attorneys want to ensure that all bills and documentation are finalized to maximize compensation for the victim or to guarantee fairness for both parties.

Charged:

If you are charged with a crime, an allegation is made in the eyes of the law – which means you are not yet proven to have committed the crime. 

Convicted:

If you are convicted of a crime, it means you have been proven guilty of an offense. The guilty party goes on trial, and a judge will hear the evidence and defense. This is where attorneys come in.

Sentenced:

When you are sentenced for a crime, it means you are receiving punishment for the crime for which you have been convicted – often a fine or jail/prison time. The convict can appeal the sentence, usually with the assistance of an attorney.

A retainer fee is a payment that a client makes in advance to an attorney before legal work can begin. The retainer amount is used as a ‘bank’ to pull funds for various court and other fees as the case unfolds. Retainer fees are usually required for cases involving a trial or a lawsuit. 

Levine Law offers free consultations virtually or over the phone to discuss your legal matter, and we can help talk you through what may be financially required for your specific case.