Category: Uncategorized

In Washington State folks cited for DUI often are not charged and don’t have to go to court for days, weeks or even months after the incident. Many people get confused about the ‘why’ of it all, and in turn get very stressed out. So to remove the mystery, SQ Attorneys will do our best to… Continue Reading »

In criminal trials, witnesses (including victims and defendants) often provide testimony to the court that the judge and jury consider. When witnesses testify, they do so under oath. They also do so under the risk of facing criminal charges if they lie to the court (known as ‘perjury’). What if a witness is a known… Continue Reading »

An often asked question of SQ attorneys is: ‘What are the main consequences a person faces when convicted for DUI’? Many folks are surprised to find out that a DUI is a crime (not an infraction) in Washington State. Because it is a crime (a gross misdemeanor), any person convicted of DUI faces ‘actual’ jail… Continue Reading »

In June 2003 Governor George Ryan of Illinois stirred controversy when he commuted the death sentences of 167 inmates to life imprisonment. Ryan said he had concluded the state’s capital punishment system was “haunted by the demon of error.” His action came three years after he ordered a moratorium on executions after evidence proved that… Continue Reading »

Crime classification can make a difference in both substantive and procedural criminal law. Substantive criminal law defines the elements of many crimes in reference to whether they were committed in furtherance of a felony. Burglary, for example, requires proof that the defendant broke into another person’s dwelling with the intent to commit a felony. If… Continue Reading »

As noted again and again in our blog posts, legislatures, law enforcement prosecutors and the judiciary are bullish on DUI crackdowns. Year after year our laws and their enforcement are aggressively imposed. It is clear that the continuing national problem of traffic fatalities due to DUI’s emboldens the government to continue their efforts to stem… Continue Reading »

In June 2003 Governor George Ryan of Illinois stirred controversy when he commuted the death sentences of 167 inmates to life imprisonment. Ryan said he had concluded the state’s capital punishment system was “haunted by the demon of error.” His action came three years after he ordered a moratorium on executions after evidence proved that… Continue Reading »

On Wednesday, January 30, 2018, Federal immigration authorities formalized – in writing – a policy to have deportation agents go to local courthouses and make arrests of illegal immigrants. This is in direct conflict with the previously expressed judiciary view that such a practice would instill fear among crime victims, witnesses and relatives. ICE claims… Continue Reading »

Washington lawmakers continue their push to change our driving while license suspended laws. Legislators, civil-rights groups and others say Driving While License Suspended 3rd Degree (DWLS 3) disproportionately burdens the poor and communities of color. Sadly, DWLS 3 is the state’s most commonly charged crime, according to a 2017 report by the American Civil Liberties… Continue Reading »

Certain types of offenses and offenders may qualify for programs that result in the dismissal of the case against the defendant upon completion of specified conditions. These programs go by several different names, but they all remove the defendant from the ordinary channels of prosecution so that the defendant may complete certain conditions. Once the… Continue Reading »