Nov. 3, 2010 – The State Bar is sponsoring two presentations to educate the public about Wisconsin’s Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) law on Nov. 17 in Madison and on Dec. 6 in Portage.

The two presentations are pilot projects to help measure public interest in community-based opportunities to learn about the justice system. “Our goal is to equip individuals and their families with the essential information and insights they need to deal constructively with the pressures created when they become involved in the legal system,” says State Bar Adult Education Task Force chair Celia Jackson. “The focus of our events will be on practical realities, such as what to expect and where to find help, not on public policy issues per se or legal theory.”

The presentations, which are the first State Bar law-related education events created for adults rather than middle and high school students, will include attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and mental health/substance abuse treatment providers.

The Nov. 17 Madison program will be at the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. The Dec. 6 Portage program will be at the public library. The Madison presentation will be available in English and Spanish. Both events run from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, contact State Bar Law-related Education Coordinator Marsha Varvil-Weld at (608) 250-6161.