The accused's intentions distinguish a burglary from other property crimes in Seattle. For instance, trespassing can happen similar to a burglary, but the former's intent is not to commit a criminal offense. Notably, convicts of this crime have had to deal with severe consequences, including life imprisonment. The burglary laws in Washington State are precise [...]
Outside of the legal profession, the charges of homicide, murder, and manslaughter are all used in almost the same manner when describing this type of crime. Legally though, they have quite different meanings and vary substantially in the way they are defended, handled by the Seattle court system, and in the punishments that you can [...]
In Washington State, our criminal lawyers know that the Juvenile Court System is designed to handle crimes associated with juvenile law specifically. The juvenile law system, for all practical purposes, is a separate part altogether of the Washington state adult courts. These cases are usually referred to as juvenile delinquency cases. Juvenile delinquency cases concern [...]
While the U.S. constitution gives freedom of speech, those rights have limitations. The law does not allow anyone to make another person uncomfortable while practicing their freedom of expression. Threatening and instilling fear in a person in Seattle is considered a criminal threat. Whether the threat was communicated verbally or through a text message, a [...]
If you are in the car with someone who has drugs, you may face criminal charges too. Most people understand the serious implications that come with a criminal drug charge. But what if the drugs belonged to someone else? What if you were not aware of the drugs? According to Washington state law, you can [...]
Criminal charges in Washington range from misdemeanors to serious felonies. However, most minor crimes are categorized as misdemeanors. And a judge will use guidelines in the law to determine the sentence for such a crime. Even though misdemeanors are not as serious as felonies, you may face jail time if found guilty. While most misdemeanors [...]
In Seattle, in November 2013, the “Fair Chance Employment” was enacted and put into effect (Seattle municipal code 14.17). This ordinance dictates how background checks can be used in the hiring process and puts limits on required information. The ordinance is to be used by businesses that employ one or more employees and limits the [...]
Can parents in the State of Washington be held legally accountable for crimes committed by their children? You may be surprised by the answer, but the first thing to know is that if your child is charged with a crime, you’ll need to contact a Seattle juvenile defense attorney at once. Juvenile crime rates spike [...]
If you face a criminal charge in the State of Washington – and it could happen to anyone – you should understand how plea bargains are made and how they work. If you’re accused of a crime, before you agree to any plea deal, it’s vital for you to consult a Seattle criminal defense attorney. [...]
Perhaps the most important thing to know about arson and the law is that if you are charged with an arson crime in the State of Washington, you will be in serious legal trouble, and you will need to be represented by the right Seattle criminal defense lawyer. How common is arson in the State [...]
