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Criminal Damage to Property

Criminal Damage to Property is commonly charged in the State of Wisconsin when an individual is accused of intentionally destroying another person’s property without consent. In order to be found guilty of criminal damage to property, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you in intentionally caused damage to another person’s physical without that person’s permission.

In Wisconsin, Criminal Damage to Property is a Class A Misdemeanor resulting in a maximum sentence of up to 9 months in jail and/or a $10,000 fine. Yet in situationss where the alleged damage caused is greater than $2,500 or certain types of property becomes damaged, the offense becomes a Class I Felony with a maximum sentence of up to three-and-a-half years of prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

There are several potential defenses against criminal damage to property that an attorney will be able to help you explore, some of which are explained below. One possible defense is that you did not intentionally cause the damage; rather, the damage was accidentally caused. A second possible defense is that you did have the person’s permission. A third possible defense is that the damaged property is your property, not the property of another person. Because each defense can depend on specific facts of each case, which can mean a defense may apply in one case but not another similar case, it is important that you speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help you evaluate the strength of your possible defenses. Please contact an attorney at our firm for a consultation and we look forward to discussing your case in detail.