Brought to you by Colorado DUI Drunk Driving Defense

Seattle DUI Lawyers J-Z

1. Peck, Kevin: Being charged with a criminal violation of the law, especially a serious criminal offense, can have severe consequences. Those accused of committing these types of crimes often face years of incarceration and hefty fines. Along with these court sanctioned penalties, a person convicted of a criminal violation may also face personal ramifications such as a tarnished reputation and shattered finances. An individual that fails to secure competent and experienced legal representation places their life and liberty in further jeopardy. Individuals facing criminal charges will benefit from the expert legal services of a skilled Seattle criminal lawyer. Criminal violations of the law will fall into one of two categories: misdemeanor or felony. The maximum penalties for a misdemeanor are generally a $1,000 fine and incarceration of up to 1 year in a county jail. Misdemeanor offenses include things such as: driving under the influence, vandalism, driving on a suspended license, and petty theft. Felony offenses are considered more serious than misdemeanor offenses; therefore, the penalties associated with a felony offense will be harsher. The punishment for a felony criminal violation of the law can be a year or more in a state prison or the death penalty. Felony offenses include things such as: murder, rape, robbery, and drug trafficking. A Seattle criminal lawyer will work on the individuals behalf to either negotiate a lesser offense or have the charges dismissed. A knowledgeable and practiced attorney will work to build a strong defense strategy in order to clear the individual's good name. Because building a defense strategy can take time, it is imperative that individuals charged with a criminal violation contact a Seattle criminal lawyer as soon as possible. A lawyer will work tirelessly to reach a satisfactory outcome for his or her client. From arrest to trial, a Seattle criminal lawyer can be of invaluable assistance every step of the way. An attorney can provide legal advice and guidance in regard to posting bail and preparing for arraignment. An attorney can be present with the individual when he or she enters their plea before the court at the preliminary hearing. Whether the trial is a jury or court trial, it is imperative the individual be represented by capable and talented legal counsel. A Seattle criminal lawyer will make their client's needs a top priority.
2. Milios Defense: What you need to know NOW. Start protecting your rights. In every Washington DUI case there are a number of very time sensitive matters that must be addressed soon after arrest, if not immediately. In almost every case a hearing must be requested from the Washington Department of Licensing within 20 days of arrest or face automatic license suspension. Some courts, depending on the jurisdiction routinely impose bail, insallation of an ignition interlock device or even placement into home detention as a condition of release at arraignment. In many courts, that arraignment will occur with 72 hours of the time of arrest. If you have a history of DUI or DUI related arrests, whether in Washington or another state, it is even more important that you start planning now.
3. Lux, David: Understanding Blood Alcohol Content in a Washington DUI Case. The following information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).Ê NHTSA is the primary federal government agency responsible for providing training, statistics and other information to states regarding Driving Under the Influence (DUI).Ê The following information is provided to law enforcement officers here in Washington State, as they are trained using the same NHTSA guidelines regarding Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Here is NHTSAÕs basic guide to understanding Blood Alcohol Concentration and Alcohol Impairment. Ê Question: What is ÒBACÓ? Answer: According to NHTSA, ÒBAC is the amount of alcohol in a personÕs body is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood.ÓÊ This is called the blood alcohol concentration, or ÒBAC.Ó Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and the small intestine, goes into the bloodstream, and travels throughout the body and to the brain. Alcohol is quickly absorbed and can be measured within 30 to 70 minutes after a person has had a drink. Ê Question: Does the type of alcohol I drink affect my BAC? Answer: NHTSA is adamant that the type of alcohol that you drink does not affect your BAC.Ê In their words, ÒA drink is a drink, is a drink.Ó According the NHTSA, Êthe ÒtypicalÓ drink equals about on half an ounce of alcohol (.54 ounces, to be exact). This is the approximate amount of alcohol found in: ¥ one shot of distilled spirits, or ¥ ¥ one 5-ounce glass of wine, or ¥ ¥ one 12-ounce beer. ¥ Ê Question: What affects my BAC? Answer: According to NHTSA, how fast a personÕs BAC rises and falls varies with a number of factors: ¥ The number of drinks is obviously critical. The more you drink, the higher your BAC. ¥ ¥ How fast you drink is also important. When alcohol is consumed quickly, you will reach a higher BAC than when it is consumed over a longer period of time. ¥ ¥ Gender is another critical factor. Women generally have less water and more body fat per pound of body weight than men. Alcohol does not go into fat cells as easily as other cells, so more alcohol remains in the blood of women. As a result, women typically need to drink less alcohol to reach the same BAC as men. ¥ ¥ A personÕs weight is also important. The more you weigh, the more water is present in your body. This water dilutes the alcohol and lowers the BAC. ¥ ¥ Finally, the food in your stomach is also a factor. Alcohol absorption will be slowed if youÕve had something to eat. ¥ Ê Question: What about other medications or drugs? Answer: Medications or drugs will not change your BAC. However, if you drink alcohol while taking certain medications, you may feel Ð and be Ð more impaired, which can affect your ability to perform driving-related tasks. Question: When am I impaired? Answer: Because of the multitude of factors that affect BAC, it is very difficult to assess your own BAC or impairment. Though small amounts of alcohol affect oneÕs brain and the ability to drive, people often swear they are ÒfineÓ after several drinks Ð but in fact, the failure to recognize alcohol impairment is often a symptom of impairment.Ê While the lower stages of alcohol impairment are undetectable to others, the drinker knows vaguely when the ÒbuzzÓ begins. A person will likely be too impaired to drive before looking Ð or maybe even feeling Ð Òdrunk.Ó Ê Question: How will I know IÕm impaired, and why should I care? Answer: Alcohol steadily decreases a personÕs ability to drive a motor vehicle safely. The more you drink, the greater the effect. As with BAC, the signs of impairment differ with the individual. In single-vehicle crashes, the relative risk of a driver with BAC between .08 and .10 is at least 11 times greater than for drivers with a BAC of zero, and 52 times greater for young males. Further, many studies have shown that even small amounts of alcohol can impair a personÕs ability to drive. Every State has passed a law making it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. A driver also can be arrested with a BAC below .08 when a law enforcement officer has probable cause, based on the driverÕs behavior. The following chart contains some of the more common symptoms people exhibit at various BAC levels, and the probable effects on driving ability: Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)1 Typical Effects Predictable Effects on Driving .02% ¥ Some loss of judgment ¥ ¥ Relaxation ¥ ¥ Slight body warmth ¥ ¥ Altered mood ¥ ¥ Decline in visual functions (rapid tracking of a moving target) ¥ ¥ Decline in ability to perform two tasks at the same time (divided attention) ¥ .05% ¥ Exaggerated behavior ¥ ¥ May have loss of small-muscle control (e.g., focusing your eyes) ¥ ¥ Impaired judgment ¥ ¥ Usually good feeling ¥ ¥ Lowered alertness ¥ ¥ Release of inhibition ¥ ¥ Reduced coordination ¥ ¥ Reduced ability to track moving objects ¥ ¥ Difficulty steering ¥ ¥ Reduced response to emergency driving situations ¥ .08% ¥ Muscle coordination becomes poor (e.g., balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing) ¥ ¥ Harder to detect danger ¥ ¥ Judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory are impaired ¥ ¥ Concentration ¥ ¥ Short-term memory loss ¥ ¥ Speed control ¥ ¥ Reduced information processing capability (e.g., signal detection, visual search) ¥ ¥ Impaired perception ¥ .10% ¥ Clear deterioration of reaction time and control ¥ ¥ Slurred speech, poor coordination, and slowed thinking ¥ ¥ Reduced ability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately ¥ .15% ¥ Far less muscle control than normal ¥ ¥ Vomiting may occur (unless this level is reached slowly or a person has developed a tolerance for alcohol) ¥ ¥ Major loss of balance ¥ ¥ Substantial impairment in vehicle control, attention to driving task, and in necessary visual and auditory information processing ¥ 1 Information in this table shows the BAC level at which the effect usually is first observed, and has been gathered from a variety of sources including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the American Medical Association, the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, and www.webMD.com. Question: What can I do to stay safe when I plan on drinking? Answer: If you plan on drinking, plan not to drive.Ê You should always: ¥ Choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver, or ¥ ¥ Ask ahead of time if you can stay over at your hostÕs house, or ¥ ¥ Take a taxi (your community may have a Safe Rides program for a free ride home), and ¥ Always wear your safety belt Ð itÕs your best defense against impaired drivers.
4. Johnson, Andrew: Operating while under the Influence is responsible for a large number of deaths, injuries, damage and accidents every year. driving under the influence per se or drunk in charge of a vehicle, is the act of operating a motor vehicle after having consumed alcohol or other drugs, to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired. driving while intoxicated (DWI), is the act of operating a motor vehicle after having consumed alcohol or other drugs, to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired. Some states also include a lesser charge of driving with a BAC of 0.05%; other states limit this offense to drivers under the age of 21. All states also now have zero tolerance laws: the license of anyone under 21 driving with a BAC of .01% or higher (.02% in some states) will be suspended. Is my license valid? You can represent yourself, but remember that the Drivers Licensing hearing examiner on the other end of the phone is usually a trained lawyer who in many cases acts as both the prosecutor and judge. They can take away your license after a criminal DUI trial. Arguments for the defense need to be very compelling to succeed. What is SR-22? Simply, it is a form which must be filed by the insurance company to the state (Department of Motor Vehicles) stating that auto liability insurance is in effect for a particular individual. An SR-22 is an official documentation required to redeem a suspended drivers license and get your car registered at the local DOL (DMV). A SR22 Filing is a form issued by an insurance company which removes a suspension order placed by the DMV's office on your driving privilege. The most common reason for an SR22 filing is when you are arrested for Driving Under Intoxication (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). The filing provides a guarantee to the state that an insurance company has issued at least minimum liability coverage for the person making that filing and that the insurance company will notify the DMV should the insurance ever lapse for any reason. An SR-22 is a document required as proof of financial responsibility by the court or under state law for persons convicted of certain traffic violations. SR-22 insurance varies state to state. What is Electronic Home Detention (EHD)? Penalties for Driving while under the Influence commonly include incarceration, fines, driver's license suspension or revocation, mandatory attendance at DUI schools, community service, probation and, increasingly, installation of a Ignition interlock device. All crimes in the state are defined by what the maximum possible penalty a judge could impose for such a crime. For driving under the influence per se or drunk in charge of a vehicle, the factors that are taken into consideration when determining mandatory minimum sentences include: the number of prior DUI (or the like) offenses in the last seven years and whether or not the individual took the breath test and what those results were or if they refused to take the breath test in the pending matter.