DUI Lawyer in Washington
For most of our clients, being arrested or charged with a DUI is one of the most difficult and earth-shattering events that they will ever face, and it can happen to absolutely anyone. Our Washington State DUI lawyers have decades of combined criminal driving and DUI defense experience.
At Washington Criminal Attorneys, we understand Washington’s DUI laws, and we are very familiar with the prosecutors and the judges who will be handling and deciding your case. Our firm understands what this kind of charge means to you personally, and we will fight to keep you out of jail and validly licensed to drive.
We are experienced and aggressive advocates for those accused of drunk driving. From our offices in Seattle, Everett, Tacoma, Bellevue, and Olympia, we fight DUI/DWI cases from Olympia to Bellingham and Mount Vernon. If you have questions about your case, we encourage you to call our offices for a free initial consultation.
A member of our team can review the basic facts of your case and then assist you in understanding your legal rights and options. We can also explain how your case is generally likely to proceed based on your breath test result and in which city or county court your case is most likely to be filed and decided.
Schedule a free initial consultation with our team by calling (844) 311-8605 today. We help hundreds of clients every year, and we can help you too.
Experienced & Aggressive Attorneys Fighting for You!
We understand what your drunk driving arrest or criminal charge means to you on a personal level. We understand the impact that it has on your family, your employment, your finances, and your life. If you are like many of our clients when they first contact us, you are probably in a bit of a state of shock. You probably also have a number of questions regarding your drunk driving arrest or criminal charge.
Many of our clients who come to us have the following questions after being arrested for drunk driving:
- What happens when I go to court?
- Am I going to have to post bail?
- Will I have to go to jail?
- I have family that lives in Canada – can I still travel there?
- What’s going to happen to my driving privileges?
- How long will my case take before it’s resolved?
- How will my Washington DUI arrest or criminal charge affect my employment?
We understand that there are few things in life as unnerving and as stressful as being arrested or charged with drunk driving. It’s a nightmare. It’s embarrassing. It’s frustrating. It feels like the roof just caved in on top of you. Fortunately, you do not have to stand alone.
Our Washington State DUI lawyers are here to help. Let’s face it. No one is ever prepared for a drunk driving arrest. It always comes out of nowhere. No one sets out for an evening of fun with the intention of being pulled over in the middle of the night, being intimidated into a series of ridiculous roadside gymnastics, and then having their entire life turned upside down by being arrested for a Washington DUI charge.
What Will Happen to Me?
One of the first questions people ask our attorneys is, “What’s going to happen to me?” First, you need to understand the penalties that Washington DUI law imposes.
If this is your first DUI, then you could face the following punishments if convicted:
- Up to 364 days in Washington State jail
- Up to a $5,000 fine
- A suspended license
- The requirement to carry high-risk (SR-22) auto insurance
- Installation of an interlock ignition device on your vehicle
- The requirement to attend alcohol and drug counseling
Some of these DUI penalties are mandatory, such as jail time, a fine, and a license suspension. This doesn’t take into consideration how a DUI could affect your employment or the rest of your family. Even losing your license for a few months could have a devastating effect on your ability to get to work, or drive your kids to school.
If you have prior DUI convictions in Washington State, then the penalties are even more severe. No matter what your situation entails, it makes sense to mitigate these damages to the best of your ability. Our lawyers have over 30 years of combined experience handling drunk driving cases of every type. Whether you’ve been charged with a WA DUI, a Washington State minor DUI, street racing in Washington State, reckless driving, negligent driving, or even a physical control violation, we can help. Our skilled attorneys can also help you if you have been charged with a pot DUI, and can help you understand the new marijuana laws in Washington State.
What to Expect from Your DUI Case?
During your initial consultation, one of our drunk driving attorneys will review your case in detail and explain the DUI/DWI process. We will also start preparing your defense from day one. We can also talk to you about and explain Washington State’s Ignition Interlock Device License law, which will allow you to keep driving so long as certain requirements are met, even if your license is suspended by the Washington State Department of Licensing or the court.
If you are facing a DUI, were boating under the influence of alcohol, received a minor DWI, or any drunk driving-related charge, it is critical to start assessing your case and preparing your defense as soon as possible. In some cases and fact patterns, it is critical to start gathering, documenting, and preserving evidence right away.
Our Washington State DUI/DWI lawyers will also talk to you about whether or not it’s appropriate to retain one or more experts for your case based on the specific facts and circumstances surrounding your drunk driving arrest.
A solid defense always involves a multi-pronged approach to taking the prosecutor’s case apart piece by piece. The sooner our attorneys get started, the better and more thorough they can be in protecting your legal rights and preserving all of your options.Don’t Face a Washington DUI/DWI AloneDuring your initial consultation, one of our lawyers will thoroughly review Washington’s drunk driving laws with you, as well as how your case will progress through the court system. We will also go over the minimum and maximum DUI penalties that you are facing based on your breath test or whether you refused to provide a sample.
At a minimum, you will at least have a much better understanding of what you are facing and how your DUI is going to affect you personally. You can then make an informed decision about how best to proceed and whether or not to retain one of our lawyers.
We understand that every question is an important one, especially to you. You are facing a daunting, difficult, and complex process. Our lawyers are here to make sure that you are treated fairly and that you do not get run over by the state.
If you have already been issued a notice to appear for your arraignment, it’s especially important that you speak with an experienced lawyer before your first court appearance. Once the legal process starts, it can move very quickly.
Washington’s DUI laws are very tough and incredibly unforgiving. This is especially true if this is not your first offense within the last seven years. Even if this is your first arrest ever, however, you are still looking at mandatory jail and a mandatory license suspension, in addition to other stiff penalties, if you are convicted of a DUI charge.
Experienced Attorneys at Your Service
Our DUI lawyers in Washington State understand what you are going through, and we’re here to help. We are a dedicated team of legal professionals that are here to assist you through this difficult time, and we know how your drunk driving arrest or criminal charge is impacting every aspect of your life.
Our job is to minimize the consequences, and we will utilize any legal means to do so. We understand that anyone can find themselves in the position that you are in right now. Over the years, our attorneys have helped hundreds of good people just like you.
Facing a DUI/DWI charge is a nightmare. We understand the stress and anxiety that accompanies an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants here in Washington State. Our criminal defense attorneys have over 30 years of combined legal experience handling DUI and criminal traffic-related matters.
We know the law when it comes to drunk driving, and we will fight to protect your interests and keep you out of jail. Our DUI attorneys are skilled and knowledgeable drunk driving lawyers. We know the courts here in Western Washington. We know the prosecutors who will be handling your case. And, we know how the legal system works.
Put our decades of experience and our resources to work for you. Hiring a good DUI lawyer can have a significant impact on how your case is ultimately resolved. Call now to learn more about your drunk driving legal rights and options, as well as how we can help you through this difficult and complex process.
Helping You Protect Your Rights
Getting arrested and charged with a DUI is a life-changing experience that most people want to put behind them as quickly as possible. It all starts when you’re pulled over by a Police Officer and forced to compete against yourself in a roadside track meet. With no way to know whether you are passing the test, you simply do whatever the officer asks, and the next thing you know you end up in jail.
Most people think that the hardest part comes after the arrest – when it’s time to deal with the Washington Court. The time right after your arrest is when your emotions are running the highest. You feel embarrassed, especially if you had to explain everything to your family or your boss. You feel like the world is caving in on you, because you realize that a Washington DUI is going to affect every aspect of your life. On top of that, the law only gives you 20 days to request a hearing with the Department of Licensing. If you fail to meet that deadline you will have your license suspended – case closed.
If you’re feeling the overwhelming burden of dealing with a drunk driving arrest, now is the time to talk to one of our DUI lawyers and find out how we can help you move forward with your life. We understand what you’re going through. We defend hundreds of honest, hard-working Washington residents every year, making sure that they have an aggressive defense strategy to attack the case against them. Our firm has over 30 years of combined experience handling complicated DUI law, and we are ready to offer you the support you need to get through this trying ordeal.
By Your Side at Your DOL Hearing
The first obstacle you face in dealing with your DUI arrest is scheduling a Department of Licensing hearing. You only have 20 days from the time of your arrest to arrange your hearing with the DOL, so it’s vital that you act quickly so our DUI attorneys can start working on your case.
Obviously, now is not the time to let your emotions get the better of you. While a DUI charge can be paralyzing, there is very little time for you to act on your own behalf. By contacting one of our DUI lawyers immediately for a free case evaluation, you give us the best chance of aggressively attacking the case against you. Your DOL hearing is important because it determines whether you will have your license suspended or not. Establishing a sound defense strategy, based on Washington law, is vital if you are going to have any chance at all. Failure not only means that you will lose your license but you will be required to carry high-risk (SR-22) auto insurance for three years. This is a financial burden you want to avoid.
Our Washington DUI lawyers will fight to keep you validly licensed, and will be standing at your side during your DOL hearing, ready to lend valuable support.
Dealing with the Aftermath
Because a DUI arrest is so traumatic, many people have trouble dealing with the stress during the aftermath of their arrest. This is understandable. It’s easy to get trapped in your own thoughts as you ponder all of the potential outcomes of your drunk driving case. In our experience, people usually let their thoughts get the better of them. While our lawyers would never try to downplay the seriousness of DUI charges, most people’s imagination makes the problem even worse than it already is.
The danger in this is that it can cause a person to go into flight mode and ignore the problem, albeit unintentionally. By talking to one of our DUI lawyers, you immediately begin to release some of the burden you carry. Not only that, you will start to get some factual information based on DUI law, and not the opinion of a friend or coworker with no legal experience. This will immediately boost your mental attitude toward the situation, as you realize that someone is fighting to protect you and your future.
First and foremost; our DUI attorneys want you to remember that you are not a criminal. Every day all over the state, good, honest, hard-working, family-minded people are pulled over and arrested for drunk driving. Often, mistakes are made along the way. Sometimes there are issues with the blood-alcohol measuring device. On other occasions, the arresting Officer may have had no legal grounds to pull you over in the first place.
This just highlights the fact that getting down on your self doesn’t solve a thing. Our DUI lawyers have the experience needed to build an aggressive defense in your case, but first you have to give us the chance. We offer a free case evaluation that will give you the chance to ask questions, get the facts, and find out how our DUI lawyers would build a defense in your case. It’s a no-risk way for you to decide how to proceed with your case based on our knowledge of the law and experience with the court system.
If you choose to retain one of our drunk driving lawyers we will start working on your case without delay. We will file your paperwork, investigate your case, and be with you every step of the way.
A DUI Arrest Is NOT a Conviction
Dealing with the aftermath of a DUI can put a lot of stress on you and your family. Don’t let the situation fester out of control. Contact one of our Washington State DUI lawyers today and give yourself some peace of mind. Most of the time, the situation isn’t as dire as you first might think it is. Once you start getting some answers, and you outline a path to resolution, you will find that much of the burden you’re feeling will ease.
We offer a free case evaluation for every client where you can ask us questions, and we will lay out a path for you intended to minimize the damages and penalties you are facing. You are free to decide how you will ultimately handle your case, with no strings attached.
If you retain one of our experienced professionals, they will fight for your rights every step of the way. As your personal advocate, we will do everything legally allowed to keep you legally licensed and out of jail.
Now is the time to contact Washington Criminal Attorneys at (844) 311-8605 for a free consultation. The first step is the most difficult, but it’s the only step you’ll have to take alone.