The Smith & White Blog

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 […]

Drunk and drugged driving is obviously illegal, and many drivers take these laws seriously.  However, when you take prescription drugs, you might not understand exactly how these often lifesaving medications interact with DUI laws. Generally speaking, you can be arrested and convicted of DUI regardless of what drugs you had in your system.  It makes […]

A DUI arrest in Washington can trigger a driver’s license suspension quickly. You may also face separate license consequences if the court later enters a DUI conviction. To protect your ability to drive, you need to understand the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) process, the hearing deadline, and your options during any suspension. How DUI […]

In State v. Wilson, the court addressed one of the most fundamental protections in criminal law: a defendant’s constitutional right to present a defense. That right includes the ability to offer alternative explanations for alleged criminal conduct and to challenge the State’s theory of how an injury or offense occurred. Yet, as this case demonstrates, the […]

If you’ve recently posted bail, paid court fines or fees, or have an active case in Tacoma or Pierce County, be on alert for a scam that’s hitting people at a vulnerable moment. Scammers impersonate the court, police, or “warrant officers” and demand additional payment—often immediately—using cryptocurrency or other hard-to-trace methods. Local agencies have issued […]

If you have a warrant for traffic tickets, a criminal arrest warrant, or a bench warrant for a failure to appear, you could find yourself under arrest.  Often, people can have warrants from old cases they might not even know about. If you suspect you might have a warrant, call a lawyer right away.  However, […]

Arrest warrants can be very scary once you find out about them, but they are not always as intimidating as you might think. While arrest warrants issued during criminal investigations are serious and require immediate legal attention, bench warrants are arguably less severe. With the help of a lawyer, it may be possible to quash […]

Under Washington law, some crimes may be designated as crimes of domestic violence if the State can produce sufficient evidence that the offense meets the criteria set forth under the law. If the State cannot prove each element of a domestic violence crime, a domestic violence designation may be stricken Self Defense When you’re facing […]

In Washington State, misdemeanors are classified as either simple or gross misdemeanors. A gross misdemeanor is more serious than a simple one, and it often carries harsher penalties. These penalties are sometimes, but not always, explicitly described by statutes. Penalties may be trickier to determine for gross misdemeanors that are not fixed by statute. Under […]