Monthly Archives: July 2023
Refunds Afoot?
On Saturday Washington launched a website where those convicted of drug possession between 1971 and 2021 can request a refund for any court fines, fees and other related costs they paid. See www.courts.wa.gov/blake. Why? Because Washington’s Supreme Court found that its drug possession laws were unconstitutional during that period. The law has since been fixed… Continue Reading »
What Does Child Abandonment Mean?
Child abandonment occurs when a parent, guardian, or person in charge of a child either deserts a child without any regard for the child’s physical health, safety or welfare and with the intention of wholly abandoning the child, or in some instances, fails to provide necessary care for a child living under their roof. While… Continue Reading »
What is the State of WSP Employment?
Our Washington Legislature recently voiced a major concern about our state patrol employment numbers. Right now 21% of the agency’s trooper positions are vacant. The Washington State Patrol watches Washington’s state highways, enforces traffic laws and conducts criminal investigations and drug forensic testing through its self-prescribed ‘state of the art’ toxicology lab. In order to… Continue Reading »
What Happens if I Violate Probation?
A probation violation is an offense that occurs when you break the terms or conditions of your probation. The punishment for probation violations usually depends on a variety of factors, such as the nature and seriousness of the violation, whether you have any prior violations, and whether there are other circumstances that may lessen the severity… Continue Reading »
What About my Gun(s)?
In November 2022, one of Washington’s Court of Appeals dropped a weapons surrender order on a Kitsap County second degree assault case involving a no contact order finding that it violated not only the defendant’s Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures but also forced him to incriminate himself. This is so… Continue Reading »
What Documents Does My Attorney Need?
After an arrest, a criminal case/investigation will move to the respective City or State’s prosecutors office for review and prosecution. The police officers will cooperate with the prosecutor and help them prepare the case for filing of the criminal charges. During that time, the accused defendant will work with their criminal defense lawyer to evaluate… Continue Reading »
What Happens After I Am Arrested?
There are typically four ways to get out of jail after an arrest. This is called “posting bail,” and it can be done in a few ways: 1) Paying a set bail amount by cash or check (friends or loved ones can also come to the police station and pay this for you); 2)… Continue Reading »
What About Free Speech?
This past week the United States Supreme Court ruled, on First Amendment grounds, that to prosecute someone for what is indisputably a ‘true threat’ of violence, the government must show that the defendant has some level of subjective understanding that the statement(s) made was threatening. The case essentially involved unwanted and unsolicited contact between a… Continue Reading »
What is up with Gun Control and Protection Orders?
In an interesting move last week, the United States Supreme Court agreed to consider whether our government may forbid people subject to domestic violence orders to possess firearms. The high court’s decision comes at a time when there is a huge concern – countrywide – about gun violence. The U.S. Supreme Court court has only… Continue Reading »
What are the Laws Regulating Fireworks?
Fireworks are an integral part of any Fourth of July celebration, whether at home or out watching a professional pyrotechnic display. State governments generally have their own laws and regulations about the use of fireworks by regular folks. They only see the dangers of amateur firework displays and put harsh restrictions in place. That doesn’t… Continue Reading »
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