Monthly Archives: May 2010

Resist the Right to Obstruct your Rights – LAWYER UP!

Generally speaking, if a person is deemed to be interfering with any sort of law enforcement investigation/activity in Washington State, he will be arrested (and possibly charged with) the crime of Obstructing a Public Servant. This happens when law enforcement believes that a person lied to (or otherwise misled) an investigator/detective, destroyed evidence, knowingly failed… Continue Reading »

Hit & Run – Don’t Do it!

In Washington State the law dictates that drivers involved in any kind of road traffic accident that causes injury to a person or damage to someone else’s vehicle or property must stop immediately at the incident scene. If it is not possible to stop at the scene without causing further problems, then stopping nearby is… Continue Reading »

Smoke Dope, Get Stoned … by the Government

Being arrested, cited, charged and/or convicted of a crime involving Marijuana in Washington State may be a much bigger deal than one might imagine. This is so even though many of our state governmental agencies claim they are de-emphasizing their pursuit of marijuana possession arrests and convictions. Don’t be fooled, the majority of Washington State… Continue Reading »

Barred at the Border, that Darn DUI

The Canadian Immigration and Refugee Act (hereinafter referred to as, the “Act”) legislates who is authorized to enter and/or travel into the great white north — Canada. Under the Act, no person who has been deemed to have committed an “Indictable Offense” may enter Canada unless he has been found to have been “Rehabilitated.” Even… Continue Reading »

Criminal Procedure 101

INITIATION OF A CRIMINAL CASE: Washington State District and Municipal Courts handle both Gross Misdemeanor and Misdemeanor cases, not Felonies. Gross Misdemeanor and Misdemeanor cases are initiated in one of three ways: (1) the prosecuting attorney files a “Complaint” and a “Summons” is mailed to the defendant to appear in court; (2) law enforcement files… Continue Reading »

Drinking, Driving and the Teenage Minor

Washington State DUI stops, arrests and convictions do not only happen to adults. Unfortunately, teenagers, and other Washington State minors, can just as easily be stopped, arrested and even convicted for DUI in Washington State. Teenagers and other minors generally get into Washington State DUI related incidents during weekend nights. It has been determined that… Continue Reading »

Drugs, drugs, drugs ….

Washington State is one of the leaders in arrests for drug possession, and simple possession of controlled substances. “Drug crime” charges may include the possession, use, sale or furnishing of any illegal (and under certain circumstances, legal) drug or drug paraphernalia that is prohibited by the laws in the State of Washington. It is a… Continue Reading »

Domestic Violence VooDoo

In Washington State a call to police regarding an allegation of domestic violence can lead to significant and immediate consequences – consequences that may never have been intended by the 911 caller or even by the alleged victim, if different from the caller. Once a person has been accused of domestic violence in Washington State, he/she… Continue Reading »

No Contact Means NO CONTACT!

In Washington State there are two types of No Contact Orders – (1) Pre-Trial, and (2) Post Conviction. Both types of No Contact Orders in Western Washington prevent a defendant from having contact with an alleged victim. Neither type of No Contact Order, however, prevents the victim from having contact with a defendant, since only… Continue Reading »

Question and Answer time – DUI Style

Any criminal defense attorney worth his/ her salt will tell you that a DUI arrest in Washington State can potentially result in very harsh and undesirable consequences. With that said, below following are just a few DUI related questions we commonly hear at SQ Attorneys: Question: The police arrested me for DUI but didn’t book… Continue Reading »