A former special education teacher at Appleton's Janet Berry Elementary School is being accused of abuse by the families of six former students.

Mary C. Berglund has denied claims that she abused her students and is asking that her case be dismissed. Suspicions against her arose last year when an educational assistant expressed concerns about the way she was treating her students. In December, she was placed on probation for five misdemeanor battery counts. Her teaching license has since been permanently revoked. 

Berglund's attorney says that her actions were not abusive, but rather good-faith attempts to restore order and that she meant no harm to the students. The case against her, the school's principal, and the district's superintendant says that they failed to provide a safe learning environment. 

If you are facing allegations of child abuse, contact the Appleton criminal defense attorneys of Kohler, Hart & Priebe at 414-271-9595.

A new law in Wisconsin bans RU-486, a steroid used to perform chemical abortions. The steroid is used to terminate pregnancies during their first nine weeks.

Approximately 25 percent of the abortions performed in Wisconsin are done using this procedure. The law does not change any rules regarding surgical abortions. 

The law, Act 217, went into effect on April 20. As a result, Wisconsin's division of Planned Parenthood has suspended chemical abortions until further notice. Doctors who perform the procedure can be charged with felony crimes. The law also requires women to visit the same doctor on three seperate occasions to prove they are not being coerced or forced into having their abortions. 

Doctors need to be very careful to not fall prey to this law, which has been accused of having impossible standards and being vaguely worded. If you are being charged with a crime, you will need a criminal defense lawyer helping you protect your freedom. Call the Appleton criminal defense attorneys of Kohler, Hart & Priebe at 414-271-9595.

Wisconsin is considering whether or not they will join the 25 other states that already take DNA samples when a person is arrested and begin to do it themselves.

Gov. Scott Walker made an announcement about the possibility of implementing this law and he stated that he backed the plan to take DNA samples when an arrest is made on a felony charge. Those in favor of this law still need to pan out the details of this case including which crimes would DNA be taken at on arrest.

Lawmakers have stated that DNA sampling is the best evidence in most cases and that this would be a sound law enforcement tool. Many disagree with the law and state that it violates civil liberties. Funding for the initiative, is also a concern.

If you or a loved one has been charged in a serious crime, you need representation on your side at this time that may will help you through this stressful time. Contact the Appleton criminal defense lawyers of Kohler, Hart & Priebe by calling 414-271-9595.

In Kenosha County, a head-on car accident took place involving the Grayslake police chief.

Last Friday, the off-duty police chief was dining at a restaurant with his wife in Kenosha County. He told investigators that he consumed three separate vodka-based drinks while he was eating dinner. After dinner, he got behind the wheel of his vehicle, and began to drive home. Shortly after beginning his trip, his car swerved into oncoming traffic near Route 45, and he struck a vehicle head-on. 

Kenosha County police arrived at the scene of the accident, and recounted that the chief seemed to be agitated and intoxicated. The man did not agree to a breathalyzer test, and he was handcuffed and charged with driving under the influence. He later had to submit to a blood test at the police station. His next hearing is scheduled for May 23.

If you have been charged with driving under the influence, please contact the Appleton DUI/OWI attorneys of Kohler, Hart & Priebe by calling 414-271-9595 today.

Monday, a Supreme Court ruling was made that states that correctional facility employees now have the right to strip-search those who are arrested, not matter how minor the crime may be.

Those in favor of the majority opinion have stated that court should not have say on whether officials can perform a strip-search on a detainee before being admitted to jail. Before this law was passed, it was against the Fourth Amendment to strip-search unless there was reasonable cause that a person has contraband on them.

Now, a person can be strip-searched even if there is no reason to believe that the person has illegal possesions on them. The majority opinon stated that correctional officers can check to see if  a person has weapons, drugs or other information such as gang affiliations by performining a strip-search on them. Those who are not in favor of this law have stated that it is a violation of "human dignity."

If you or a loved one has been arrested of a serious crime, contact the Appleton criminal defense lawyers of Kohler, Hart & Priebe by calling 414-271-9595 today.

A 42-year-old Manitowoc woman was sentenced to jail after crashing her SUV in alleged drunk driving crash.

According to police, the woman crashed her SUV into a snow bank and a light pole. The woman told police that she crashed her car after falling asleep at the wheel. Police stated that she was groggy, had slurred speech and could barely stand up. 

After a lab test, it was shown that the woman had three different drugs in her system. She was charged with her third operating while intoxicated charge and has been sentenced to jail. The woman was previously convicted in 2007 and 2010.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a serious crime, you need representation on your side at this time that may be  able to help you throgh this difficult process. Contact the Appleton OWI lawyers of Kohler & Hart by calling 414-271-9595.

A 27 year-old Madison woman has been charged with homicide by negligent driving and homicide by intoxicated driving after she hit and killed a man riding a moped. According to police, she had alcohol and morphine in her body at the time of the accident.

The fatal crash happened last October on the Beltline frontage roads. Police discovered that the female driver had been traveling on the wrong side of the road when she collided and killed the 37 year-old moped driver.

Her preliminary breath test showed her blood alcohol level was at 0.071, just under the legal limit. However, a makeup kit that contained tools to inject heroin was also found near the crash site. A passenger in her car told authorities that he or she had seen the driver inject herself with heroin.