Yes. A conviction for a first-time DUI in Washington can result in mandatory jail time. For a person with no prior qualifying DUI offenses, the current Washington sentencing grid provides for a minimum of 24 consecutive hours in jail when the BAC is below 0.15 or there is no test result for reasons other than… Read More

If you are searching for the difference between drunk driving and a DUI in Washington, the short answer is that “drunk driving” is a common phrase, while DUI is the formal criminal offense. Washington law calls the offense Driving Under the Influence, or DUI, under RCW 46.61.502. The distinction matters because a person does not… Read More

A DUI arrest can turn your life upside down in a matter of minutes. Whether you were stopped after consuming alcohol or accused of driving under the influence of drugs, the consequences can be significant and long-lasting. In Washington, impaired driving laws are aggressively enforced, and a conviction can affect your driver’s license, employment opportunities,… Read More

Yes, it’s worth getting a defense lawyer for your first DUI. Facing a first-time DUI charge in Washington State can be overwhelming. Even a single arrest can carry serious consequences, including jail time, fines, license suspension, and long-term impacts on employment, insurance, and personal opportunities. Many people do not realize how complex DUI laws are… Read More

During the COVID-19 State of Emergency, the Washington State Secretary of Health has waived state statutory requirements that all substance use disorder services be provided in person. Accordingly, treatment agencies are temporarily authorized to conduct group and individual treatment sessions online via Skype, Facetime, Zoom and other such digital means. This also means that during… Read More

Today the Washington Supreme Court, by way of a unanimous 9-0 en banc decision, struck as unconstitutional the eight year old statute commonly referred to as Hailey’s Law.  Enacted in 2011 by the Washington State Legislature, Hailey’s Law required law enforcement to impound personal vehicles when a driver was arrested for suspicion of DUI.  No… Read More

Despite recent changes to strengthen Washington’s felony DUI laws, two state legislators are introducing new legislation that will make these laws even tougher.  Citing a belief that Washington’s DUI laws are too lax compared to the rest of the country, State Senators David Frokt and Mike Padden want to decrease the number of DUI convictions… Read More

As of January 1, 2019, the State of Washington has amended the rules with respect to the timing for requesting an Administrative hearing as well as the jurisdictional time limits within which the Department has to act. As a result, unaware drivers and attorneys could miss a very important deadline. Prior to the start of… Read More

In June of 2018, Canada amended its criminal code via Bill C-46, to create more significant consequences for those convicted of DUI in that country. Taking effect in December of 2018, among other changes, the maximum penalty for a DUI will be increased from five to ten years. How does Bill C-46 affect entry into… Read More

For years, the option of being able to serve a DUI jail sentence by way of work release was almost a certainty. When a sentence for a second or third offense could range anywhere from 30 to 120 days at a minimum, work release provided an opportunity to salvage one’s employment. There were strict rules… Read More