Washington State notoriously inflicts extremely tough penalties on people charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs (DUI/DWI), Physical Control, or Minors Driving While Impaired. Legislative changes in 2004-2008 have caused the penalties for these crimes to get even tougher; the penalties are considered some of the toughest in the nation. The Seattle DUI attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys intricately understand the nuts and bolts of these new Washington State DUI Laws and the devastating effect a DUI/ DWI conviction can have on an individual’s personal and professional life. The SQ Attorneys team is well versed on Washington State DUI law, and this helps in its quest to do everything it can to ensure its clients get the best outcome possible.
The Seattle DUI Lawyers that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys believe that it is important for their clients to understand Washington State DUI Laws and the charges against them, as well as the potential implications those charges may have on their personal and professional lives. The SQ Attorneys Team prides itself in providing the best defense possible for clients all around Western Washington, including the Cities of Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Everett, Monroe, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Lake Forest Park, Milton, Tukwila, Sea Tac, Snohomish, Kenmore, Shoreline, Bothell, Mountlake Terrace, Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Fife, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, Olympia, Lake Wood, University Place, Kent, Renton, Des Moines, New Castle, Snoqualmie, Issaquah, Duvall, Lake Stevens, Marysville, Arlington, Poulsbo, Bainbridge, Vashon, Black Diamond, New Castle, Normandy Park and many, many other communities in and around King, Pierce, Snohomish, Thurston, Kitsap and Kittitas counties, and all over the greater Puget Sound community.
The Washington State DUI Laws are generally broken down into three very similar, but yet different, charges:
- Driving Under the Influence
A driver can be convicted and found guilty of this charge if he/ she is Driving Under the Influence of alcohol or drugs and has a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving, is affected by either alcohol or drugs (determined by a “totality of the circumstances”), or is affected by the combined influence of both alcohol and drugs.
- Physical Control of Vehicle Under the Influence
A driver can be convicted or found guilty of this charge if he/ she was in physical control of a motor vehicle (even if the car is stopped) and has a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher within two hours, is affected by either alcohol or drugs (determined by a “totality of the circumstances”), or is affected by the combined influence of both alcohol and drugs.
- Drivers Under 21 Consuming Alcohol – Minor DUI/ DWI
A driver can be convicted or found guilty of this charge if he or she is under 21 years of age and has a BAC level of 0.02 or higher within two hours of operating or being in physical control of a vehicle.
The Seattle DUI attorneys that make up the criminal defense team of SQ Attorneys are highly trained and extremely experienced in defending against charges relating to driving under the influence; they are tacticians that are well versed in the law, and make every conceivable effort to get Western Washington DUI charges dismissed or otherwise reduced so as to cause the least amount of impact on their client’s personal and/or professional lives.
Call SQ Attorneys – it will be the best decision you make all day.