The Washington State Legislature has just passed Senate Bill 5000. Both the Senate and the House passed the bill unanimously; it was forwarded to Governor Christine Gregoire for signing on Wednesday.

Under the measure, if the driver of a vehicle is the vehicle’s registered owner, the car cannot be picked up for 12 hours. If there are two or more registered owners, the owner who wasn’t arrested can immediately redeem the car, and if the person arrested is not the registered owner, the vehicle can be immediately claimed by the registered owner.

The soon to be new law is known as “Hailey’s Law,” named for a woman who was seriously hurt after being struck by a drunken driver that had been arrested earlier that morning for DUI but the vehicle was not impounded by law enforcement.

Because of the significant implications a DUI arrest and/or conviction can have, it is imperative that a person charged with DUI in Washington State immediately retain a qualified Seattle DUI lawyer or a qualified Bellevue DUI lawyer. In many instances, a qualified Seattle DUI lawyer can significantly reduce the impact that a DUI charge will have on an individual’s life. The right Seattle DUI attorney will be worth his/her weight in gold when protecting a person’s rights, freedom and future. The Seattle DUI attorneys that make up the litigation team of SQ Attorneys are dedicated to defending those accused of drunk driving. They have the experience, knowledge and resources to successfully defend your case. Unlike other law firms that practice in many areas of the law, SQ Attorneys is focused on criminal defense representation with an emphasis on DUI defense in Western Washington.

If you or a loved one is faced with a DUI charge in Western Washington, you deserve the assistance of a reputable and qualified Seattle DUI attorney who will relentlessly defend your case. You deserve a Seattle DUI lawyer who has an intimate understanding of Washington DUI laws and the legal issues that could win your case. You deserve a Seattle DUI defense attorney who is not afraid to stand up against the prosecution and aggressively fight for your rights and interests. SQ Attorneys is the right Western Washington DUI law firm for the job. Call for a free initial consultation – (206) 441.0900 (Seattle); (425) 998-8384 (Eastside) – it will be the best decision you make all day.