The Smith & White Blog

In many Washington domestic violence assault cases, a judge will issue a criminal no-contact order very early in the case. But it is not automatic in the strict sense. It is still a court order, which means a judge decides whether to issue it and what the terms will be. For most people, the real […]

Practical Steps to Avoiding a DUI in Washington: What Actually Helps Most DUIs don’t start with a plan to break the law. They start with a night that runs long, a ride that falls through, and a decision made at the worst possible time. If you want to avoid a DUI in Washington, the goal […]

Some Washington crimes can be committed in more than one legally defined way. When a single statute describes one offense but lists multiple ways of committing it, lawyers often call it an “alternative means” crime. This matters because it affects how juries reach a verdict. It can also create appeal issues when the prosecution argues […]

If you have been served with court papers or told you cannot contact someone, the first question usually isn’t legal vocabulary. It’s practical: what does this order actually do, how long does it last, and what happens if you get it wrong? In Washington, protection orders and no-contact orders can look similar on paper, but […]

Violating your probation, even accidentally, can come with consequences in Washington. Our lawyers can help you prepare for what might happen at a probation violation hearing and avoid the worst possible consequence: having your suspended sentence revoked. If you violate the conditions of your probation in Washington, your probation officer may arrest you without a […]

Numerous laws and restrictions govern guns and firearms, and not just anyone may possess one. While you might legally have a gun, you may not always be able to loan that gun to someone else. While there are some exceptions, you generally cannot loan a weapon to others without following specific laws. When loaning a […]

Can a domestic violence court order–a criminal no contact or a civil protection order– prevent someone from legally possessing a firearm in Washington State? Courts across the country have recently been asked to answer this question as challenges to firearm restrictions under the Second Amendment continue to evolve. A recent Washington case, State v. Bell, […]

When multiple individuals are involved in a single violent encounter, determining who is legally responsible for specific injuries can become a complex and highly contested issue. In State v. Miles, the court addressed whether a defendant could rely on another participant’s guilty plea to shift blame and whether excluding that evidence undermined the defendant’s right to […]

While we have a Second Amendment right to bear arms, this right is not without limits. You must be legally eligible to have a firearm, and you must have a gun license. The gun must also be purchased through legal channels. If you are caught with an unlawful firearm, you may face serious legal consequences. […]

When you carry a gun, you must be careful, as even accidental legal violations can lead to serious consequences. This includes carrying a gun in your car, which is legal but only under certain conditions. You may carry a gun in your car, but you must do so in accordance with strict laws. First, you […]