Madison WI Bribery Defense Lawyer Attorney

There are two principle bribery crimes in the Wisconsin criminal law, bribery of a public officer or employee and bribery of a witness.  Both of these bribery crimes are a Class H felony under the Wisconsin criminal law, punishable by up to six years prison and up to a $10,000 fine.  Bribery is a crime in Wisconsin for the person who makes or attempts to make the bribe as well as the person who accepts or offers to accept the bribe.

Bribery of a public officer or employee under Wisconsin criminal law 946.10 is defined as follows:

Whoever, with intent to influence the conduct of any public officer or public employee in relation to any matter which by law is pending or might come before the officer or employee in the officer's or employee's capacity as such officer or employee or with intent to induce the officer or employee to do or omit to do any act in violation of the officer's or employee's lawful duty transfers or promises to the officer or employee or on the officer's or employee's behalf any property or any personal advantage which the officer or employee is not authorized to receive; or

Any public officer or public employee who directly or indirectly accepts or offers to accept any property or any personal advantage, which the officer or employee is not authorized to receive, pursuant to an understanding that the officer or employee will act in a certain manner in relation to any matter which by law is pending or might come before the officer or employee in the officer's or employee's capacity as such officer or employee or that the officer or employee will do or omit to do any act in violation of the officer's or employee's lawful duty.

Bribery of a witness under Wisconsin criminal law 946.61 is defined as follows: 

[Whoever] with intent to induce another to refrain from giving evidence or testifying in any civil or criminal matter before any court, judge, grand jury, magistrate, court commissioner, referee or administrative agency authorized by statute to determine issues of fact, transfers to him or her or on his or her behalf, any property or any pecuniary advantage; or

Accepts any property or any pecuniary advantage, knowing that such property or pecuniary advantage was transferred to him or her or on his or her behalf with intent to induce him or her to refrain from giving evidence or testifying in any civil or criminal matter before any court, judge, grand jury, magistrate, court commissioner, referee, or administrative agency authorized by statute to determine issues of fact. 

It is important to note that the bribery to a witness crime in Wisconsin does not apply to a person who is charged with a crime, or any person acting in his or her behalf, who transfers property to which he or she believes the other is legally entitled.

There are potential defenses to the charge of bribery in Wisconsin.  If you are accused of bribery, you need the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer immediately.  Call Madison criminal lawyer Robert T. Ruth at 608-257-2540 for a free consultation.