Category: Uncategorized

South end commuters be forewarned, as of today the speed limit essentially between the Tacoma Mall and the Tacoma Dome has temporarily been cut to 50 mph. The new speed limit will extend a total of 6 miles southbound and 5 miles northbound and goes from the I-5, Highway 16 junction to just across the… Continue Reading »

While it isn’t specifically stated anywhere in the Constitution, criminal defendants generally have the right to be tried by “a jury of peers.” You may be wondering what exactly that entails. Contrary to popular belief, defendants are not entitled to a jury containing members of their own race, gender, age, or sexual orientation. So what… Continue Reading »

Over the past two months detectives with the Seattle Police Department’s Major Crimes Task Force along with officers of the North and South Anti-Crime Teams arrested at least 33 suspects in a series of operations targeting property crime (i.e. Theft) in around Aurora Avenue North and the SODO district. On the north end of Seattle,… Continue Reading »

One of the most reliable forms of evidence in many criminal cases is in our genes, encoded in DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA evidence can be collected from blood, hair, skin cells, and other bodily substances. It can even be used to solve old crimes that occurred prior to the development of DNA-testing technology. Similar to… Continue Reading »

DUI’s don’t just happen when someone is pulled over by a police officer. Case in point – on March 21, 2019, a suspected drunken driver crashed into a pulled-over patrol car in Bremerton, Washington; apparently first responders had to dive for safety during the event, but luckily there were no serious injuries. The incident happened… Continue Reading »

A police officer conducting a traffic stop may search your vehicle and seize evidence without  a warrant under certain conditions. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure, but interpretations of “reasonableness” have changed throughout history. Under the exclusionary rule, the prosecution cannot use any evidence or information obtained… Continue Reading »

The St. Patrick’s Day weekend is over. But perhaps not for some. According to the latest numbers, there were 94 DUI arrests in-and-around Pierce, Thurston and King Counties. Snohomish County and Whatcom County are still tallying up their total DUI arrests. In Pierce County 31 arrests, according to the State Patrol, were the result of… Continue Reading »

Recently, the Seattle City Council resoundingly passed legislation for SPD hiring bonuses. The intent of the new legislation is to entice: (1) officers from other police departments, and (2) new police recruits to apply for and become Seattle police officers. Trained officers will be given a $15,000 bonus, and new recruits will be given a… Continue Reading »

Cultivating or manufacturing illegal drugs, such as methamphetamine or marijuana, is illegal under federal and state laws (with limited exceptions for marijuana in states such as Washington, Colorado and several other states which are beginning to legalize marijuana). Drug “manufacturing,” in a criminal law setting, occurs when an individual is involved in any step of… Continue Reading »

The procedure of the juvenile court system is different from the adult system. For example, after committing an offense, juveniles are “detained” rather than arrested. Next, a petition is drawn up which is the official charging document or otherwise known as the criminal complaint. This petition outlines the jurisdiction authority of the juvenile court over… Continue Reading »