Monthly Archives: April 2020

The Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws

It is two o’clock in the morning and you are awakened by the sound of breaking glass from an intruder attempting to crawl through your window. You race down with your gun and think about possibly shooting him. Could you be charged with a crime and/or sued by the intruder for physical injuries? The prime… Continue Reading »

It is All or Nothing

It is now official – ALL states must have a unanimous jury verdict in order to convict someone. Although Washington State was one of the 48 states that already required such a finding (as well as all Federal Courts), who knows what would have happened if the US Supreme Court found differently on the issue.… Continue Reading »

Criminal v. Civil

The legal system in the United States addresses the wrongdoings that people commit with two different types of cases: civil and criminal cases. Crimes are generally offenses against the state  or a city, even if the immediate harm is done to an individual, and are accordingly prosecuted by the state or the city prosecutors. Civil… Continue Reading »

Open Container Laws

Every one with a driver’s license in the United States should know that drivers are not permitted to drive while under the influence of alcohol or other impairing drugs. The question that could arise is whether a passenger can drink alcohol in a car? The typical answer is generally no, but this does depend on… Continue Reading »

S*^T Out of Luck – SOL

As all Seattle DUI and Seattle criminal defense attorneys know, every case has a filing period known as a Statue of Limitations (“SOL”).  If a criminal case is not filed within that time period, the case cannot ever be filed by the government. The SOL on misdemeanors is 1 year, on gross misdemeanors 2 years,… Continue Reading »

Summarizing the Rules of Evidence

The rules of criminal evidence govern how parties, judges, and juries offer and then evaluate the various forms of evidence presented at trial. In some ways, evidence is an extension of civil and criminal procedure. Generally, evidence law establishes a group of limitations that courts enforce against attorneys in an attempt to control the various… Continue Reading »

Declining Crime Rates?

Has there been a spike or decline in crime since the governor of Washington issued his ‘stay home, stay healthy’ order in March of this year?  It seems the answer depends on location and/or type.  Both the Seattle Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office say that crimes like shoplifting, car prowling and general theft… Continue Reading »

Taboo Tattoo – No Longer

There once was a time that tattoos were taboo – especially for government employees.  In essence a ‘deal breaker’ for employment. The State of Pennsylvania has softened that stance … at least as it relates to their state troopers and prospective cadets.  As of last month, Pennsylvania state troopers and cadets may have tattoos on… Continue Reading »

Driving While High

If you think that Driving while under the influence of marijuana is harmless, you might want to think again. Two recent studies have concluded that car crashes tend to increase after states legalize marijuana. The Highway Loss Data Institute found that collision-insurance claims increased by nearly 6% in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, the first three… Continue Reading »