In Wisconsin, a person may commit a crime if they engage in sexual intercourse or contact with a person under the age of consent. Other states have similar criminal laws, commonly referred to as “statutory rape” laws, because a person can face prosecution even if the minor agrees to engage in sexual intercourse or contact. […] The post What Are the Romeo and Juliet Laws in Wisconsin? first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

Jasti Zehawi & Johnson is proud to announce that two of its Madison, WI, criminal defense attorneys received recognition from Super Lawyers for their outstanding legal work in 2024. Murali Jasti was selected as a 2024 Super Lawyer, a prestigious honor reserved for the top five percent of attorneys in the state. In addition, Dailey […] The post Murali Jasti Selected as 2024 Super Lawyer, Dailey Johnson Selected as Rising Star first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

In Wisconsin, the term for what most states call Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is “Operating While Intoxicated,” or OWI. This is a serious crime under Wisconsin law, and even a first-time offense can lead to a lengthy driver’s license suspension. If you face an OWI charge in Wisconsin, you’ll find all the information you […] The post What Are the Penalties for OWI in Wisconsin? first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum has found that Wisconsin has one of the largest corrections budgets in the nation, and that Black Wisconsinites are imprisoned at close to 12 times the rate of white Wisconsinites. These findings are deeply troubling, and they raise serious questions about the state’s priorities and criminal justice […] The post Wisconsin’s Criminal Justice System: A Crisis of Inequality first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

Wisconsin’s Department of Corrections bans a wide variety of books inside Wisconsin prisons, including martial arts and gunsmithing. Unfortunately, the bans go far beyond weapons and violence, extending into topics such as fantasy, gaming, coding, web design, and search engine optimization. The latter makes it harder for prisoners to keep current on subjects that help […] The post Reading Restrictions Are Counterproductive to Preparing for Life After Prison first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is pledging $125 million to arts and humanities organizations focusing on mass incarceration. Read this article to learn the powerful story of Dean Gillespie, a wrongfully convicted man who found inspiration through art while behind bars. The post “Imagining Freedom” Unleashes the Power of Art first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

A long overdue day has finally arrived. The federal Bureau of Prisons is closing the Special Management Unit at Thomson penitentiary in Illinois. The unit is notorious for being one of the deadliest in the federal prison system, generating frequent reports of violence and abuse. The closure comes on the heels of reporting by NPR […] The post Notorious Federal Prison Unit to Close first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

The Madison, Wisconsin Community Alternative Response for Emergency Services (or CARES) program answered over half of the city’s mental health calls in 2022. This totaled 935 calls within their first year of operation, and “only 3% of CARES calls resulted in transfers to MPD officers, who, by state law, are the only people who can […] The post Madison CARES Program Making a Difference in Wisconsin Mental Health Patients first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

Individuals with mental health issues are often mistreated during a crisis. They may be put into the back of a police car and transported to mental health facilities across the state. Wisconsinites are standing up to this challenging situation and petitioning for various solutions, such as regional crisis centers and psychiatric emergency rooms. Learn more […] The post Wisconsin Is Hard at Work for an Emergency Mental Health System first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more

The federal judiciary has grown visibly more diverse during the first two years of the Biden administration. Of the 97 federal judges confirmed during his term, 74 are women. This includes the first woman of color to serve on the 5th Circuit appeals court as well as the first black woman to serve on the […] The post Federal Judiciary Grows More Diverse first appeared on Jasti Zehawi & Johnson LLC ..read more