Monthly Archives: July 2013

BUI Emphasis Patrols this Weekend

And there off … not quite yet, but this Sunday the hydroplanes, a high flying airshow and Seafair are back in action and that means … Boating Under the Influence emphasis patrols … yikes. Commencing Friday and ending late Sunday law enforcement will be patrolling our Lake Washington waterways looking for impaired boaters. Last year… Continue Reading »

Washington New BUI Laws go into Effect Today

Washington’s new Boating Under the Influence (“BUI”) laws have taken effect; operating a boat (or other motorized water vessel) while impaired just became a whole lot more riskier. As of today, a person convicted of BUI faces 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. Revised RCW 79A.60.040 is aimed at: (1) improving boating safety… Continue Reading »

Tougher DUI Law's Now in Place

And it is official; Thursday Governor Inslee signed into law a measure to more closely monitor motorists who are repeatedly convicted of DUI. As previously posted, under the bill: (1) drivers charged with a subsequent DUI face mandatory arrest and booking into jail, and the pleasure of installing an interlock device on any vehicle they… Continue Reading »

Tougher DUI Laws Coming Your Way

Washington lawmakers advanced a plan Wednesday to more closely monitor motorists who repeatedly drive under the influence, but the Legislature backed away from a costly proposal that would have increased minimum jail times for such offenders. Under the revised bill, drivers charged with a second impaired driving offense would face mandatory booking in jail and… Continue Reading »

Justice, not guilt … that should be the Goal

Defendants in general have an uphill battle in our criminal justice system, and when the government punishes (and even fires) employees for doing the right thing, you have to wonder if there actually is justice within our legal system. Case in point, an employee of the Florida state attorney’s office who was fired after he… Continue Reading »

DUI Vehicle Forfeitures? Yes, Seriously …

Vehicle forfeitures for 2nd offense DUI’s? It may become the standard in Washington. They are testing the procedure in Yakima. Recently Yakima police, along with a Yakima assistant city attorney, seized the vehicle of a repeat DUI offender while she was serving a 75 day jail sentence for her second drunken-driving offense within 7 years.… Continue Reading »

New Laws on the Horizon

The new fiscal year began on July 1. In like kind, state government spending regulations kicked in, and despite their inability to quickly agree on a state operating budget, Washington state lawmakers managed to pass more than 330 bills. Many of those laws take effect at the end of July. The following are a few… Continue Reading »