What is an Ignition Interlock License? Driving while intoxicated comes with serious penalties in Washington and other states. One of those penalties is license suspension. Depending on the circumstances, you may have your license suspended anywhere from 90 days to four years. This is a long time to be without a driver’s license, especially if you work, go to school or… Read More
The Difference Between Misdemeanor and Felony Charges Being charged with a crime is a serious matter, requiring a swift and aggressive legal defense. Even otherwise minor incidents could leave you with a criminal record that prevents you from obtaining a job, a loan, or a place to live. The following outlines basic types of criminal charges in Washington and penalties associated with… Read More
Where Am I Entitled To A Reasonable Expectation Of Privacy? A person is entitled to a reasonable expectation of privacy within his own place of residence, among other places. Courts are extremely protective of the home along with the privacy citizens are entitled to therein. For the government to intrude into the inner sanctum of the domicile, one of three things is required: a warrant… Read More
What is a Requisite Mental State for a Criminal Charge in Washington? Criminal charges contain elements. These elements are conditions that, in part, define prohibited behavior and must be satisfied in order for charges to lead to a conviction for any given set of actions carried out by a citizen. In other words, an element is a subcomponent of a criminal offense, and each element must be… Read More
Identifying Accused Criminals When a crime occurs, police become informed by citizens who call either 911 for emergencies, recently committed crimes, and crimes in progress, or who call non-emergency police numbers for cold crimes. When calls are received, trained police dispatchers gather information from the caller. When a crime is in progress or recently committed, dispatchers will ask… Read More
Criminal Driving Offenses Most people realize that while driving a car, failure to comply with traffic laws carries a risk of being pulled over and issued a citation. Receiving a traffic ticket is usually a minor event that involve less than two hundred dollars and possibly traffic school to prevent a conviction on one’s record. However, some do… Read More
Evidence Illegally Seized The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides that “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place… Read More
Good Samaritan Laws The Constitution of the United States separates our country from many other nations on earth because it guarantees several types of freedom. Citizens are generally free to act at their own discretion, so long as they do not violate the rights of others. Citizens are also generally free not to act if they so choose,… Read More
Associative Criminal Liability in Washington The term, “guilt by association” is a colloquial expression generalizing the notion that if a person associates with criminals, then that person, himself, is criminally culpable. Although this is not a legal principle, it is roughly akin to legal doctrines upon which criminal statutes are based in each of the 50 states. To bring criminal… Read More
How Do The Different Forms Of Murder Differ From One Another? RCW 9A.32.010 defines homicide as “the killing of a human being by the act, procurement, or omission of another, death occurring at any time,” and is either (1) murder, (2) homicide by abuse, (3) manslaughter, (4) excusable homicide, or (5) justifiable homicide. The classifications of killing a person vary so greatly that the penalties range… Read More