Q: What happens if I get caught driving under the influence for the first time in Tacoma, Washington? A: DUI in Tacoma is the same as everywhere else in this Washington State.  Even a first-time offense is taken seriously. You’re looking at spending at least one uncomfortable night in jail, but it could be up […]

It is not uncommon for the Washington courts to issue no-contact orders, preventing people from interacting with their victims. If a person subject to a no-contact order subsequently violates its terms, they may be charged with a crime.  They can also have their bail increased on any pending matters or be given jail time on […]

One of the tenets of the criminal justice system is the right to a trial before an impartial and fair jury of one’s peers. As such, if a juror demonstrates a bias, it is unlikely that they will be seated on the jury. If they are and the defendant is subsequently convicted, they may have […]

Many Washington drivers have a baseline understanding of what a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction might mean for their personal freedoms. The potential penalties a judge could impose may include incarceration, fines and probation. It is also quite common for the courts to suspend the driver’s license of the motorist convicted of impairment at […]

In Washington criminal matters, evidence of prior bad acts and crimes is typically considered inadmissible due to concerns about prejudice. However, the state recognizes exceptions to this general rule and allows the introduction of such evidence for specific and limited purposes. One recognized exception is when the evidence is deemed “inextricably intertwined” with the underlying […]

Law enforcement agents must adhere to constitutional principles when investigating crimes, including DUI offenses. In other words, they must have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity in order to stop a motorist for suspected DUI. If they lack suspicion or other grounds for conducting a warrantless investigation, any evidence obtained during the investigation may be deemed […]

Under Washington law, in order to convict a person of an assault offense, the prosecution has to prove each element of the crime. This does not necessarily mean that they must prove the defendant’s mental status at the time the crime was committed, however, as many assault offenses do not include an element of intent. […]

In Washington, a defendant can be convicted of DUI crimes based on circumstantial evidence, such as the result of field sobriety testing, or direct evidence, such as a BAC level. Regardless of the character of the evidence presented, the prosecution must provide sufficient evidence that the defendant was operating a vehicle while under the influence […]

The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees “the right to a speedy and public trial.” This is to keep defendants from languishing in jail or legal limbo for longer than necessary before they have been convicted of any illegal activity. At the same time, if the charges against you are highly serious or complex, you […]

         “..there are men who regret that we cannot hear our Handel exactly as Handel meant us to because, unfortunately, we no longer castrate boy singers” ― Eric J. Hobsbawm, The Jazz Scene  Castration is always a fun subject.  I remember being horrified in law school circa 1995 that castration was still […]