Monthly Archives: April 2016

DV stands for 'Domestic Violence'

In criminal law, the initials “DV” stand for ‘Domestic Violence’. DV is a moniker or, in essence, a ‘tag’ that is linked to certain delineated crimes wherein the parties involved are alleged to have a familial or dating relationship. Revised Code of Washington (‘RCW’) 10.99.020 lays out the actual definition of what constitutes a DV… Continue Reading »

What Is a Property Crime?

One of the more common crimes that are filed in criminal courts across the United States are property crimes. Property crimes include many common crimes relating to theft or destruction of property. They can range from lower level misdemeanor offenses such as shoplifting or malicious mischief to high-level felonies including armed robbery, arson or burglary.… Continue Reading »

IID by Law

Any Washington State DUI attorney will tell you that if you are convicted of DUI the law requires that you maintain an ignition interlock device (IID) on your car for a period of at least one year upon eligibility to reinstate your driving privilege. What some may neglect to tell you, however, is that in… Continue Reading »

Drugs!!!

One of the most common offenses found in Courts across the United States, are drug offenses. Both the Federal and State drug possession laws make it a crime to willfully possess illegal controlled substances such as marijuana (with exception to certain states), methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, heroin and other controlled substances. These laws also criminalize the… Continue Reading »

I Claim, You Claim, We all Claim – Self Defense!

In Washington, if someone is charged with the crime of assault (domestic violence related or otherwise), he may have the right to allege that he acted in ‘self-defense’. To be applicable, however, a self-defense claim requires that the Defendant prove that: (1) he had a fear of imminent danger of bodily harm; (2) that the… Continue Reading »

The Appeals Process Explained

The right to a trial by jury is the most fundamental constitutional right a criminal defendant is granted. Upon a conviction after a jury trial, a defendant has the right to appeal a finding of guilt. In order for an appellate court to hear an appeal from a lower court the aggrieved party must demonstrate… Continue Reading »

Probation = Oversight

Crime and punishment, they go hand and hand when a defendant is convicted in a court of law. As we all know, punishment can, and often does, include monetary fines and jail time; what some folks don’t quite understand, however, is that governmental oversight is also often part of the punitive mix. This oversight is… Continue Reading »

I have a conviction … Can I get it off my record?

So you have been convicted of a criminal charge and this conviction is impacting your livelihood? You wish this conviction can be taken off your record? Do you have any recourse? The answer is ‘yes,’ you may be allowed to expunge the criminal charge. Expungement is a court-ordered processing which the legal record of an… Continue Reading »

Drive Studless, its the Law

Spring has arrived … the dark days of Winter are in our rearview mirrors. And with the passing of Winter so go studded tires. Yesterday was the last day for Washington drivers to remove their studded tires or face an expensive ticket from one of our local law enforcement agents. In previous years, due to… Continue Reading »