What Happens After a Criminal Charge: The Steps in the Legal Process

July 8, 2025 | Arraignment

If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, you will be facing a lengthy and difficult legal process. It is important for you to understand what you are facing and how a criminal defense attorney can help you every step of the way. They will explain both how the law works and your legal rights in the situation. A criminal defense lawyer at Hogan Eickhoff would work to protect your legal rights and seek the best possible outcome in your case. Here are the steps in the legal process after you have been charged with a crime in Wisconsin.

Read More

How a Criminal Record Can Impact Employment and Housing Opportunities

June 24, 2025 | Criminal Convictions

Criminal defense attorneys will tell you that there are consequences of a criminal conviction, beyond the time that you may serve in prison. Not only reputational effects from a conviction, but it can also lead to other collateral impacts on your life. You may find that you have difficulty finding a job or housing due to a criminal record. These are all factors that you need to consider when you have been charged with a crime and are deciding whether to plead guilty or fight the charges against you. Although these impacts may not be determinative of the choice that you ultimately make, they are certainly things that you would need to consider in consultation with your criminal defense attorney after you have hired them. Below, we will explore these ideas further and discuss how a dedicated criminal defense attorney from Hogan Eickhoff can help you if you face criminal … Continued

Read More

Understanding Search and Seizure Laws: Protecting Your Rights

June 10, 2025 | Constitution

Both the federal and Wisconsin Constitutions contain prohibitions against unreasonable searches and seizures that protect you to an extent in criminal cases. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the following: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” In many circumstances, understanding your rights isn’t enough to protect them. Read on to learn more about the complexities of search and seizure laws and how a skilled criminal defense attorney from Hogan Eickhoff can help you if you think your rights were violated.

Read More

Understanding Plea Bargains and Negotiations in Criminal Defense Cases

March 19, 2024 | Criminal Defense Attorney

As a criminal defendant, you may think that your case is going to be decided in court in front of a jury. The hard work in many criminal cases often happens out of court when your criminal defense attorney and the prosecutor sit down to negotiate a plea deal. The attorneys at Hogan Eickhoff provide you with pragmatic legal defense while standing up for you to the prosecutor.

Read More

Why Would Someone Take a Plea If They Are Innocent?

August 26, 2022 | Criminal Defense Attorney

A large majority of criminal defendants will plead guilty before they ever reach a trial. Not every single defendant who pleads guilty actually committed the crime with which they are charged. There are many reasons why someone who is innocent feels compelled to take a plea deal.

Read More

Why Would Someone Go to Trial If They Are Guilty?

August 9, 2022 | Criminal Defense Attorney

In criminal cases, defendants must make crucial decisions with the help of their attorney at various stages of the process. There is no more important decision that you will make than whether to go to trial. If you lose at trial, you can face a more serious jail sentence than if you accepted a plea deal. Nonetheless, it may make sense to go to trial, even if you have done some (or all) of what the prosecutor alleges. Your attorney will give you the best advice about how to proceed in your case.

Read More

Does Taking a Plea Deal Result in a Conviction on Your Record?

June 8, 2021 | Criminal Convictions

In some cases, the best legal outcome in your case means that you enter into a deal with the prosecutor for lesser charges or a reduced sentence. For some defendants, it is the best way to put the matter behind them and move on with their life. It’s important to understand that in some cases, a plea bargain may still result in a criminal conviction on your record. One of your major considerations going forward is how the plea deal will impact your future. With that in mind, a frequent question we are asked is whether a plea deal will stay on your record.

Read More

What Is the Difference Between a Guilty Plea and a No-Contest Plea?

April 22, 2021 | Court Hearings

Many people simply assume that a no-contest plea is the same exact thing as a guilty plea. While the two have a similar effect in a criminal case, there are some key differences. Before deciding what plea to enter in a case, it is crucial to consult with a criminal defense lawyer to understand the ramifications of each course of action. An Appleton criminal defense attorney could provide you with the legal advice that you need.

Read More

Tips for Talking to the State Prosecutor

February 25, 2021 | Criminal Defense Attorney

Talking to the prosecutor can be a make-or-break moment for your case. The chances are that you and your criminal defense attorney have concluded that there is some benefit to be had from a face-to-face meeting where you submit to questions. Given the critical importance of this interview, you must not prepare extensively. You must also be very disciplined during the interview itself, considering the stakes. Here are some things to consider before you sit down for an interview with the prosecutor.

Read More

The Pros and Cons of Agreeing to Be Interviewed by the State

February 9, 2021 | Criminal Defense Attorney

Also known as the “queen for a day” arrangement, an interview with law enforcement as part of the criminal justice process is a critically important part of your case. Many defendants are understandably afraid to talk to the same law enforcement personnel who may be trying to put them in prison. When their criminal defense lawyer raises the topic with them, they may have reservations. However, there are reasons why an interview with law enforcement can help your case. Here are the pros and cons of agreeing to be interviewed by law enforcement.

Read More