If you were arrested for a King County DUI (in King County by the Washington State Patrol) your case will be filed in the King County District Court system. Depending upon which precinct your arresting trooper works out of your case will either be filed in the West Division at the Seattle Courthouse, the South Division at the Burien Courthouse, or the East Division at the Redmond Courthouse. The filing of your DUI in the King County District Court system means that the prosecutors working on your case will be King County Deputy Prosecutors and the judges will be elected King County District Court Judges.
At this time, King County DUI cases may take four weeks to several months to be filed. This does not mean that you should wait before speaking with a King County DUI attorney. Your privilege to drive is at risk of administrative suspension through the Washington Department of Licensing. You have 20 days from the date of your DUI arrest to request an administrative hearing. There are also several steps that you can begin working on now that will ultimately be helpful in the negotiation of yo
ur case. By being proactive you and your King County DUI attorney will be prepared when your case is filed. This will ultimately save you money, time and stress when your case is filed.
In the three divisions of the King County District Court that hear DUI cases there are a total of 17 elected judges. Another reason to be prepared with counsel prior to your case being filed is the judge before whom your arraignment will be heard. During the course of your case you will have one opportunity to file what is called an “Affidavit of Prejudice” against a judge. This prevents the named judge from making any legal rulings on your case. It can only be filed before the named judge has made any discretionary rulings in your case. Having retained an experienced DUI lawyer you will have the benefit of our insights into the judge who will be presiding over your case. This may have an impact on your conditions of release as well as on the future outcome of your case. It is also important that your next court appearance is set before a judge who will be a fair and unbiased trier of fact. Your King County DUI attorney will set your next court date and you can be confident that if we exercise your affidavit we will do so judiciously and in your best interest.