If this is the first time you have been arrested for DUI in Washington state, you are probably concerned about what will happen next. At The Law Offices of Smith & White, PLLC, we offer a expert consultation to explain the DUI process. With office in Tacoma, our lawyers handle DUI cases throughout western Washington state, […]

How We Get a Criminal Case Dismissed in Pierce County, WA If you are facing criminal charges in Pierce County, WA, you may be wondering: Can we get your case dismissed? The answer is yes, in some situations—but it depends on the facts of your case, the strength of the evidence, and the skill of […]

1. Alcohol/Substance Abuse Evaluation Contact the Alcohol Evaluation Agency to whom we directed you. Set up an evaluation. Evaluator should ask us to provide the police report and criminal history to the evaluator. You should take your “Driver’s Abstract.” One is available from any Department of Licensing branch office or can be downloaded from WWW.DOL.WA.GOV. Do not […]

Being charged with any crime is a nightmare. But with the growing stigma society places on drunk driving a DUI charge can be one of the worst. A DUI charge can threaten your freedom with jail time. Washington has some of the strictest, most draconian laws regarding DUI in America. RCW 46.61.5055 requires mandatory jail time, mandatory […]

What Makes a Guilty Plea Voluntary in a Washington DUI Case? When someone faces DUI charges in Tacoma or elsewhere in Washington, the process can move quickly. Often, the prosecutor will offer a plea deal before the case reaches trial. But how do courts determine whether a guilty plea is truly voluntary—and why does it […]

Imagine the scene. You get pulled over by the police for speeding or whatever reason. As your vehicle is being approached you should realize that one of the things the officer is going to be doing is checking for signs of alcohol or drug use such as smell of liquor or marijuana, bloodshot eyes, slurred […]

A language barrier can be used as a defense in a DUI case in Washington State if the defendant can demonstrate that the barrier prevented them from understanding the consequences of their actions or the instructions given to them by law enforcement. This defense can be raised in several different contexts, such as: During the […]

It can be terrifying and humiliating to be arrested for the first time. When the police respond to an altercation between a husband and a wife or between other family members in a household, Washington law often requires them to arrest somebody. There are mandatory arrests for domestic violence in Washington when the police arrive […]

In many domestic violence cases, people feel inclined to believe the accuser, and defendants often feel they have no hope of avoiding a conviction. However, numerous defenses can be asserted in a domestic violence case. If you are charged with domestic violence, hire a seasoned Tacoma domestic violence lawyer to determine which defenses work best […]

Most cases will start with a 911 call from either the alleged victim or another witness. When the police arrive they should question all parties separately. This is being done so that they can determine who they believe is the primary aggressor. That’s a fancy way to say who started the criminal behavior. It’s not […]