Tracey Wood & Associates - Criminal Defense and Immigration Law

Defense Attorney Tracey Wood Drunk Driving Attorney Tracey Wood is a Super Lawyer in Wisconsin
(608) 350-1004

     Attorney Tracey A. Wood , owner of Tracey Wood & Associates is an aggressive criminal defense attorney in Madison, Wisconsin.    She focuses her practice on defending the rights of individuals whether they are charged with drunken driving or more severe criminal charges including murder, sex crimes in Wisconsin, federal conspiracy or seeking an expungement of a previous conviction.
   She is known throughout the legal community as the foremost authority on Wisconsin OWI DUI laws and has been hailed for her defenses and successful trial and case record.
   Ms. Wood has been pioneering new frontiers for women in law since she entered practice in 1992. She is the first attorney from Wisconsin ever appointed as a Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor, and first Wisconsin attorney to be appointed to the Board of Regents to the National College for DUI Defense held at Harvard Law School. She chairs the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Strike Force for the state's largest association for criminal defense lawyers and has previously served as the President of that organization. She has authored several articles on defense against drunk driving charges including Challenging Prior Under Influence Convictions, an article discussing U.S. v. Gant in the Wisconsin Law Journal, and she has contributed to the national DUI attorneys' bible by Taylor & Oberman, entitled "Drunk Driving Defense".
   She has also won many appeals in both the Wisconsin Appellate System (most recently City of Beloit v. Steven Herbst) and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago (i.e. U.S. v. Andres Perez).

Super Lawyer Tracey Wood defends people charged with OWI or DUI
Super Lawyer Tracey Wood defends people charged with OWI or DUI
Super Lawyer Tracey Wood defends people charged with OWI or DUI
NCDD National College for DUI Defense: Tracey Wood
(608) 350-1004

Murder Laws In Wisconsin



Tracey Wood & Associates
Wisconsin Criminal Defense Lawyers



Murder is a homicide, but there is a distinguishing difference between murder and homicide. Murder is always a crime; homicide is not; homicide is an unnatural death, which may or may not be a crime.

The term "murder" is often used to refer to all homicides as a broad categorization, including felony murder, intentional homicide, and negligent homicide or vehicular murder or manslaughter each of which is linked to below for their legal definitions. Under Wisconsin laws, "murder" does not have degrees. Conversely, homicides committed with other "intents" do have degrees. Degrees are used to classify the crime for punishment.

Murder Charges

Under Wisconsin laws, the broad category of murder includes felony murder, first degree intentional homicide, second degree intentional homicide, reckless homicide, negligent homicide, homicide by negligent use of a motor vehicle, homicide by negligent control of a viscous animal, and homicide by negligent use a firearm or dangerous weapon or reckless use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon including explosives. The elements of the crime of murder are intent, act and causation. In order for the prosecuting attorney to obtain a conviction, he must prove each element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law during a trial by a jury or a judge, or a confession.

Felony Murder

Felony murder is an intentional homicide committed during the commission of another felony. The commission of the felony crime includes all acts before, during and after the felony. Wisconsin law distinguishes between the types of felony crimes that qualify for a felony murder charge.

Premeditated And Deliberated Murder

Under Wisconsin law, a premeditated and deliberated murder is charged as a first degree intentional homicide. Under Wisconsin laws, the attempt to commit a crime is also charged as the completed crime. First Degree Intentional Homicide is defined as intentionally causing the death of another person or unborn child. Intentional murder is sometimes called wanton disregard for human life or depraved heart murder.

Justifiable Murder or Justified Homicide

A justifiable murder (or justified homicide) is a homicide committed with legal justification. Legal justification includes self defense, defense of others, prevention of a felony, coercion or necessity, or in some instances, by reasonable and legally justifiable mistake. Under Wisconsin law, a justified murder would not result in charges if the justification were legally acceptable. However, a person may be charged with second degree intentional homicide and thus need to claim the legal justification. A mistake of fact would likely result in a second degree intentional homicide charge.

Manslaughter - Voluntary or Involuntary

When Wisconsin rewrote its criminal code, the term "manslaughter" was removed, and the crime of intentional homicide was separated into degrees of first degree intentional homicide (premeditated and deliberated murder) and second degree intentional homicide (murder under mitigating circumstances). Generally, manslaughter is a lesser degree of murder, a murder committed without malice or under mitigating circumstances.

Excusable Murder - Excused Homicide

Wisconsin law provides circumstances under which a murder is excused from criminal liability. If a person is not criminally liable for a murder resulting from his acts, then no crime has been committed. An accident would negate the intent to kill.

Murder By Reckless Acts

A murder caused by reckless acts can be classified into first degree reckless homicide or second degree reckless homicide. Second degree reckless homicide is a murder committed during reckless acts. Reckless acts create an unreasonable and substantial risk of death or great bodily harm.

Murder By Negligent Acts

Negligent murder is charged as a negligent homicide under Wisconsin laws. Criminal negligence is a legal definition created by the legislature in drafting the Wisconsin criminal code. The elements of crimes involving negligence require proof of criminal negligence, a higher degree of negligence than ordinary negligence.

Murder Under Mitigating Circumstances

Under Wisconsin laws, a murder committed under mititgating circumstances is a second degree intentional homicide. Among others, Wisconsin law recognizes coercion, necessity, self defense, defense of others, provation (heat of passion murder), prevention of a felony, and mental disease or defect (causing a diminished mental capacity).

Attempted Murder - Hiring A Hit

Under Wisconsin law, an attempted crime such as murder is charged as the completed crime even if the crime is not completed. Any act towards committing the crime can result in a charge for the completed crime. The act of hiring a 'hit man' to commit a murder is taking a step towards completing the crime, and would be charged as the completed crime of First Degree Homicide, an intentional murder. First Degree Intentional Homicide is a class A Felony offense.

Burden of Proof

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

In a murder trial, the state prosecutor must prove each element of the crime "beyond a reasonable doubt". Beyond a reasonable doubt is sometimes referred to as "beyond the shadow of a doubt".

While that standard may seem a difficult one to meet, many a well-intentioned jury make that mistake every day and convict innocent people. Criminal trials are meant to prove guilt, but often times, a defendant must prove innocence; at the very minimum, a defendant must defend his or her innocence, particularly in murder tirals.

Avoid False Murder Convictions

While there are no guarantees on the outcome of a trial when a person is facing charges for Felony Murder, First Degree Intentional Homicide or Vehicular Homicide, you can take steps to ensure that you have done everything possible to avoid a mistaken conviction. "Who" represents you and defends you against very serious criminal charges is the single most important factor in your control and the single most important decision you will make in preparing to defend yourself against a state attorney who likely possesses years of experience trying murder and homicide cases. When you place your trust into the hands of the attorneys at Tracey Wood & Associates, you can rest assured that you have done all you can do to avoid mistaken convictions and prove your innocence in a court of law.

Court Recommended For Murder Trials

Tracey Wood & Associates attorneys have been recommended by Wisconsin Circuit Court judges when criminal trials involve murder, particularly complex murder cases. Those attorneys have earned the respect and commendation of judges and their peers for numerous homicide and murder acquittals and very serious felony defense. Tracey Wood & Associates winning record spans nearly three combined decades of criminal law repsentation in cases ranging from reckless endangerment to felony murder.

Attorney Tracey Wood has defended people against vehicular homicide charges involving drunk driving offenses, as well as conspiracy and conversion cases.

Free but professional "first-impression" analysis

If you are under investigation or have been arrested for any crime, or if you have already been convicted of a crime and believe your conviction to be wrong or your sentence too harsh, please call (608) 350-1004 or email the Attorneys at Tracey Wood & Associates right away. An Attorney at Tracey Wood & Associates will provide you with a brief but professional free "first-impression" analysis of your appeal based on the facts that you are able to convey. You can also submit your case online or email the attorneys.




OWI DUI Attorney Tracey Wood commonly works in the following Counties: Adams, Ashland,Barron,Bayfield,Brown,Buffalo,Burnett,Calumet,Chippewa,Clark,Columbia,Crawford,Dane,Dodge,Door,Douglas,Dunn,Eau Claire,Florence,Fond du Lac,Forest, Grant,Green,Green Lake,Iowa,Iron,Jackson,Jefferson,Juneau,Kenosha,Kewaunee,La Crosse,Lafayette,Langlade,Lincoln,Manitowoc,Marathon,Marinette,Marquette,Menominee, Milwaukee,Monroe,Oconto,Oneida,Outagamie,Ozaukee,Pepin,Pierce,Polk,Portage,Price,Racine,Richland,Rock,Rusk,Sauk,Sawyer,Shawano,Sheboygan,St. Croix,Taylor,Trempealeau, Vernon,Vilas,Walworth,Washburn,Washington,Waukesha,Waupaca,Waushara,Winnebago,Wood

Please take notice that although the law firm of Tracey Wood & Associates website contains a large amount of accurate and useful legal information about drunk driving, OWI, DUI, Sex Crimes, Expungement and other serious crimes, it is not intended to be used as legal advice. Only an attorney can counsel you on your specific case. Please contact the attorney at Tracey Wood & Associates immediately should you find yourself charged with a Drunk Driving in Wisconsin, a DUI (Driving Under the Influence), OWI (Operating Under the Influence) or any other serious crime in Wisconsin at (608) 350-1004. Even if your researching drunk driving laws or sex crime laws in Wisconsin, Lawyer Tracey Wood can assist you.

Attorney Tracey A. Wood , 6605 University Ave Suite 101 Middleton Wisconsin. (608) 350-1004

OWI DUI Sex Crimes Expungement Defense Lawyer Attorney Tracey Wood