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As of June 10, 2010, Washington State has a new cell phone law.  The publicity surrounding this law has mainly focused on the fact that the new law changes cell phone violations from a “secondary offense” for which a police officer may not stop you, to a “primary offense” for which a police officer may [...]

Every year, Washington State legislature amends the DUI laws in an effort to make the DUI laws even tougher or to “tune up ” the laws. This year’s legislative session resulted in the passage of HB 3124, a law that went into effect June 10, 2010. The law requires that a police officer who …

One of the relatively unknown aspects of Washington State DUI law is that the penalties for violations of certain mandatory requirements of probation will result in mandatory sentences that the judge must impose. Take the case of an individual for whom this is the first DUI conviction. Either one or two days of jail time [...]

For some people, it makes sense to enter into a deferred prosecution after getting charged with a DUI in Washington. To qualify for a deferred prosecution, chemical addiction or alcoholism must play a significant part in why you broke the law. After acknowledging this, you must commit to a significant program of chemical dependency treatment. [...]

When it comes to pilots and DUI law, there are a myriad of federal regulations that apply but in some respects, Washington State DUI law pertaining to pilots is tougher than Federal regulations. Although Washington State cannot revoke a pilot’s certificate upon a conviction for “flying DUI, “  a pilot who is convicted …

The State of Washington emphasizes alcohol treatment when necessary in connection with a Washington state or Seattle DUI arrest or conviction.  However, it is not well known that even in the absence of a DUI conviction or a DUI arrest, the DOL will not issue a license to an individual who has been classified as [...]

If you have been arrested for a Seattle DUI or a DUI elsewhere in Washington State, at some point in the process your DUI lawyer will very likely suggest that you get an alcohol evaluation. This is important to the case because the results of the evaluation can influence the DUI sentence the judge will [...]

Washington State DUI probation carries stiff penalties for violations.

The Washington State Supreme Court issued an opinion on August 20, 2009,  regarding a driver who drove drunk from Washington State into Oregon and was convicted of DUI in both states based upon this single act of driving. (State v. Rivera-Santos, 81445-7.) The driver  was arrested in Oregon after driving south from Washington state over the [...]

A “hard” license suspension is a license suspension for which there is no driving of any sort allowed.  By way of background, under the 2009 amendments to Washington state’s DUI laws, a driver whose license is suspended for an alcohol-based DUI arrest or conviction may apply for an ignition interlock license.  This license permits the [...]