The Straight Scoop on Traffic Tickets in Washington

Traffic tickets happen.  Even to the best drivers.  When it does, there is a lot of information online about how to “beat” a speeding ticket.  But be careful what you believe! Urban legends abound, but in the end nothing beats the advice of an experienced attorney who can give you case-specific advice about your specific situation.  If you receive a traffic ticket in King/Snohomish/Skagit County the following guide will help you understand your options:  

Should you contest the infraction?

This is an individual decision that you need to make based upon your personal circumstances.  However, if an infraction on your record will result in a loss of license, impact your employment, or raise your insurance premiums then contesting the infraction will probably be worth the time and expense.

Should you hire an attorney?

Again, this is an individual decision for you to make but I usually advise prospective clients to inquire with their insurance company about what effect a ticket might have on their premiums.  Once you know this, you can perform a proper cost-benefit analysis.   Some insurance companies provide waivers or “forgiveness” for drivers with good histories.  If you qualify for this, then perhaps the effect of a traffic ticket on your record will not be too great. On the other hand, if a ticket would increase your monthly premium then you should consider how this stacks up against the cost of hiring a professional.  Legal representation in a traffic ticket in the King/Snohomish/Skagit County area will typically range from around $200 - $300.  If your potential net increase in insurance premiums will be more than the cost of hiring an attorney then it will be money well spent! You can certainly represent yourself, but keep in mind that the court will hold you to the same standard as an attorney and if you are not experienced with court rules and statutory interpretation your chances of success are limited.  If you do decide to go it alone, keep in mind that there is a relatively low standard of proof and the judge is most likely going to believe a police officer in these types of situations.  So do not expect to win many traffic ticket cases with a simple denial.  On a head to head comparison of factual allegations, the judge will believe the police officer over you in almost every case.

The benefits of hiring a traffic ticket attorney

If you hire an experienced traffic ticket attorney, you will not need to take time out of your life/work to appear in court.  Your attorney will appear on your behalf.   In addition, your attorney will perform a complete analysis of the statutory requirements, police report(s), and speed measuring device certifications and will make all possible arguments to the judge and/or prosecutor.

What outcome can you expect from an attorney?

A good traffic ticket attorney will help you obtain the best possible outcome in your case.  The first goal is always to obtain an outright dismissal of the case based on incomplete police reports or lack of proper foundational records.  This would result in no court fine and no reporting to the Department of Licensing or your insurance company.  While dismissal occur in a large number of cases, it is not possible in every case if the officer wrote a full report and all necessary records are in order. If a dismissal is not possible, your attorney will attempt to negotiate with the prosecuting attorney to obtain a reduction and/or amendment to a non-moving violation.  The process of such negotiation will vary from court to court, but this will typically still result in imposition of a court fine.  Depending upon your prior traffic history, it may be necessary to negotiate a fine amount that is greater than the face value of the original ticket.  Even if the fine is higher, the end result of most negotiations is that the ticket will stay off your record and not raise your insurance rates.

How to get started?

If you have a traffic ticket in King/Snohomish/Skagit County and you have any questions at all about what to do or how to proceed you should call an expert to discuss your case for free.  Attorney Adam Yanasak is friendly and helpful, and he would be happy to speak to you on the phone at no cost to discuss all these matters in greater detail.  In some instances he can direct you to useful resources that might allow you to resolve the case without the need to hire a lawyer at all. Do not let a traffic ticket get you down.  A 5 minute, no obligation phone call could help put your mind at ease and may even be able save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Call Russell & Hill PLLC at 425-212-9165 today to talk about your traffic ticket case for free!  

Article written by: Adam Yanasak, Criminal Defense Attorney

Adam Yanasak, Everett DUI attorney for Russell & Hill, PLLC, answers a DUI legal question posted on Avvo.com regarding reduction of DUI charges.

Meet Adam Yanasak, Everett DUI attorney at Russell & Hill, PLLC

Adam is a dedicated trial lawyer who has spent his entire legal career defending people accused of crimes.  He has extensive experience representing clients in all classes of criminal cases ranging from misdemeanor traffic and DUI charges to serious felony offenses. Adam consistently gets great results by being a relentless advocate who knows how to solve hard problems.  He has a reputation as a determined litigator, and prosecutors and judges know that Adam will fight every case to get the best possible outcome for his clients.

 DUI Legal Question

"I was arrested for a 1st DUI this weekend, blew a .107, what are my chances of getting this reduced, and can i keep my license?"

Adam Yanasak, Everett DUI attorney's - Answer to DUI legal question:

"It is possible to get a reduction of the charge and to even avoid a license suspension, but it would depend upon many factors and would require a very close examination of the police reports, BAC database/maintenance records, as well as any other available evidence in your case. It also makes a different in which court this matter might be pending. DUI is a serious charge, and you stand to lose a lot if convicted. You need to speak with a knowledgeable DUI attorney as soon as possible...."

How Our Everett DUI Attorneys Can Help

Our Everett DUI attorneys' defense strategies include:

• Examining the evidence against you, including evaluating how field sobriety tests were administered and the training of the officers who required them
• Determining whether health or medication issues may have affected the outcome of blood alcohol content (BAC) tests
• Reviewing the simulator solutions and BAC testing material to make sure your Datamaster was in proper working order at the time you took the test
• Reviewing your prior driving record
• Advising clients about responding to police interrogation and requests to take field sobriety tests
• Suppressing evidence to weaken the prosecutor’s case at trial

Contact Our Everett DUI Attorneys Today

If you have been charged with DUI, contact Russell & Hill, PLLC by e-mail or call 888.258.9103 to schedule a free initial consultation. Come to Russell & Hill, PLLC for the following services:

• Free DUI legal question with our one of our Everett DUI attorneys
• Weekday, evening and weekend appointmentswith one of our Everett DUI attorneys
• Phone consultations 24 hours a day in emergencies
• In-house Spanish translation
• A conveniently location on Broadway in Everett

We receive many referrals from former clients. They send their relatives and friends to us because they have experienced our thorough and diligent representation and know our Everett DUI attorneys do everything we can for our clients.

Author:  Adam Yanasak, Everett DUI Attorney

Adam Yanasak, Lynnwood traffic ticket attorney for Russell & Hill, PLLC, answers a traffic ticket legal question posted on Avvo.com.

Traffic Ticket Legal Question

"I got a ticket for driving without insurance and missed my court date, will I have a warrant since I missed it?"

Adam Yanasak, Lynnwood traffic ticket attorney's answer to traffic ticket legal question:

" The court will not issue a bench warrant for a non-criminal traffic matter. However, it will find the infraction committed by default and issue a Failure to Appear to the Department of Licensing which can result in a license suspension. "

Meet Adam Yanasak, Lynnwood Traffic Ticket Attorney at Russell & Hill, PLLC

Adam is a dedicated trial lawyer who has spent his entire legal career defending people accused of crimes.  He has extensive experience representing clients in all classes of criminal cases ranging from misdemeanor traffic and DUI charges to serious felony offenses. Adam consistently gets great results by being a relentless advocate who knows how to solve hard problems.  He has a reputation as a determined litigator, and prosecutors and judges know that Adam will fight every case to get the best possible outcome for his clients. At Russell & Hill, PLLC, our Lynnwood traffic ticket attorneys can fight your case by examining the circumstances of your charges, using your prior record of responsible driving and other factors to seek to have your charges reduced or dismissed. If your conviction holds, our Lynnwood traffic ticket attorneys can argue for probation, monitoring programs and treatment to reduce your sentence. We have a reputation for effective and aggressive representation with a continual eye for the best results for each client.

Contact Our Lynnwood Traffic Ticket Attorneys Today

If you have been charged with any traffic ticket violation, contact Russell & Hill, PLLC, Lynnwood traffic ticket attorneys, by e-mail or call 888.258.9103 to schedule a free initial consultation.

Come to Russell & Hill, PLLC for the following services:

• Free initial consultations with one of our Lynnwood traffic ticket attorneys
• Weekday, evening and weekend appointments
• Phone consultations 24 hours a day in emergencies
• In-house Spanish translation
• A conveniently location on Broadway in Everett

Author: Adam Yanasak

Understanding Washington state new DUI law changes that will be going into effect on September 28, 2013.

There was a lot of news this past Legislative session in Washington about efforts to reconfigure Washington state DUI laws.  What was initially touted as the most aggressive DUI crackdown in state history did not quite live up to that billing in the end.  However, there were some significant changes that every resident and driver in Washington State should understand.

Senate Bill 5912 was signed into law by Governor Inslee on July 18, 2013 and goes into effect on September 28, 2013.

Mandatory Jail Booking

One major change included in Washington state new DUI law will be a mandatory arrest and jail booking for DUI offenders with a prior DUI incident within the past 10 years.  Under current law, police have discretion to release a DUI offender after they are arrested and processed.  Even though a person is “presumed innocent” until proven otherwise, the law will now require that certain innocent individuals be jailed pending posting of bail or a court order of release.

Mandatory Ignition Interlock Devices

After September 28th, any person accused of DUI who has a prior DUI incident in their history will be required to have a functioning Ignition Interlock Device installed in their vehicle within five days of release from jail.  Current law only makes this an option that the court may consider imposing.  When ordered, this device must be installed at the driver’s expense, and will be required even before the person is proven guilty or given an opportunity to review police reports or present evidence of innocence.  As an alternative, the person can participate in a new program called “24/7 sobriety monitoring,” however this program will only be available in a limited number of jurisdictions.

Employer Vehicle Exemption

Under the Washington state new DUI law, any person convicted of DUI who is ordered to install an Ignition Interlock Device may not obtain an employer exemption until 30 days after installation of the device.  The old law provided a means whereby a person required to drive an employer-owned vehicle for work could get an immediate exemption from the Ignition Interlock requirement while they were driving their work vehicle.  This will not be the case going forward, and as a result it is likely a lot of people will start losing their jobs as a result of a DUI conviction.

Vehicle Forfeiture

With the Washington state new DUI law changes courts must consider whether a person’s vehicle is subject to forfeiture to the government in cases of DUI, Physical Control, and Ignition Interlock violation cases. Senate Bill 5912 contains a number of other provisions, but these are some of the most important one’s that will have the most immediate impact on DUI cases and on individuals convicted of DUI.  Drinking and driving is not worth the risk, and the best advice anyone can give is to just not do it.  But, if you are facing a DUI charge it is more important than ever to protect your rights and seek competent legal counsel as soon as possible.  It is never too early to start preparing your defense, and making plans to deal with these very serious potential consequences. For more DUI information, Russell and Hill, PLLC, have provided a DUI Resource page for your convenience and information.