Author: David Stegall

When someone is arrested and charged with a crime it is typically a very stressful period in that person’s life. The anxiety of not knowing with what will happen next creates a tremendous amount of stress. This blog explains the typical process of a criminal case beginning with an arrest through the completion of the court case. The […]

On June 30, 2013, Governor Scott Walker signed into law substantial changes to Wisconsin’s statutes governing the extraction and use of Deoxyribonucleic acid (“DNA”) information from people forced into the criminal justice system. These recent changes in the law raise interesting policy issues such as to what extent does our interest in apprehending and punishing criminals […]

Check out my latest video where I do my best to answer some questions that I have received related to the entry and search of college dorm rooms. For example, can the cops enter and search your room without a warrant? What about a RA or other University employee? I answer those questions and a […]

Our Wisconsin Supreme Court recently decided a case that has sparked some controversy about whether a person can lawfully drive away from a police officer who knocks on his or her car window during a traffic stop.  Judging by some media reports of this case, one would think that we all have nothing to fear […]

I was asked recently whether a citizen needs to identify himself/herself to a law enforcement officer. Watch this short video below to find out. If you feel you need attorneys in Madison, contact us.

You may be surprised that Wisconsin’s motorcycle helmet law does not require that everyone operating or riding a motorcycle wear a helmet. Helmet law states have varying legislation across different states regarding helmet use. The law covers passengers under 18. To read the statute itself, see Wis. Stat. sec. 347.485. Helmets are only required for […]

The concussion story is another example of what can happen when people stand up for their rights. As former Pittsburgh Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw said: The NFL is “forced to care because it’s politically correct to care. Lawsuits make you care.” Will Smith’s portrayal of Dr. Bennet Omalu in the film Concussion has again sparked dialogue about […]

As the saying goes, a dog is man’s best friend. Most of the time, a dog is a wonderful companion that enriches the life of its owner.  Unfortunately, there are times when man’s best friend will bite a person because of provocation, fear or instinct. In fact, there are millions of dog bites per year in […]

In this video, I talk about the most common issue I hear from people after interacting with a police officer, which is “the police did not read me my rights.” I explain what your rights are and why we call them Miranda rights. I also explain how the police try to avoid having to advise […]

With the rise of websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, we are documenting and sharing more aspects of our lives than ever before. Litigators have quickly realized that an opposing party’s social media pages can contain valuable and easy-to-access evidence.  For example, in a personal injury case, defendants often search plaintiffs’ Facebook and Twitter accounts […]