Depends where you are seeing it- but it is probably a reference to someone being charged with violation of a protection order.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=26.50.110

That's a good question, this is an odd and frustrating area of the law. There actually are a number of laws and rules that prohibit your lawyer from just handing over (or copying) the discovery to you, without approval from the prosecutor's office that provided it. The discovery is, in a... View More

If it was simple possession, then you should be eligible to have that conviction vacated immediately. The state supreme court recently struck down our possession law as unconstitutional and courts are vacating possession convictions. You should contact the attorney who represented you, or the... View More

If it was simple possession (felony or misdemeanor), then yes - it should eligible to be vacated. You should call the lawyer who represented you at the time, or maybe the public defense office for that court.

Here is a very short blog post I wrote on the topic if you want a little more... View More

When you say "ticket in mail", do you mean you were criminally charged? If so, I would not recommend you contact the store directly, you should have a lawyer do that for you. It's a simple enough misunderstanding, but could grow in to something worse if not handled cautiously.

Absolutely. The normal process is to set a court date first, then issue a warrant at that hearing. But if providing a DNA sample was a court requirement, and it wasn't done, then the court can definitely issue a warrant.

He should talk to a personal injury firm, but ideally one that also does some criminal / DUI work.

They will be able to pursue maximum compensation for him, and also guide him through the criminal process and obtain information for him so he understands how the case is being handled on the... View More

Short answer yes, it happens all the time.

Most often from traffic cameras, but that is not the only source.

The fact that the ticket can be issued that way doesn't mean that these tickets can't be beaten though. A ticket that was issued by mail almost always has... View More

I would keep calling the officer, he is the one who can tell you the status of the investigation.

I would also call the prosecutor's office that the report is to be sent to. They can tell you if their office has received the report yet, and if they have made a decision about whether... View More

The prosecutor's office should be the county prosecutor in which the ticket is filed. The simplest way to confirm that is call the court (number should be on your ticket) and ask the clerk for the contact information for the prosecutor.

Well it wouldn't be a 'mistrial', but yes - there is a court rule that allows a judgement to be reversed and a new trial set where there is newly discovered evidence. The time limit on that is generally one year from when the final judgement was entered. You should probably talk to a... View More

When a defendant's mental competency to stand trial is questioned, they are referred to Western State Hospital for evaluation. The doctor there gives the court a written report with an opinion on whether the person is or isn't competent to go forward.

There are different time... View More

It's certainly possible that might happen, but not definite. If the prosecutor believes they can prove the case to a jury without the cooperation of the victim, then the prosecution will typically go forward. Many cases are prosecuted that way. You need a lawyer to evaluate the admissible... View More

There doesn't have to be an arrest for the prosecutor to later file a DUI charge. If the investigating officer thought you were under the influence (of alcohol or a drug), they can forward that report to the prosecutor and charges can get filed that way. This is pretty common when the person... View More

Sure. The RCW creates multiple different types of protection order. Some have statutory limits but there are certainly circumstances where a judge can issue a lifetime protection order. Depends on what kind of circumstances gave rise to the order.

Generally no.

"A spouse or domestic partner shall not be examined for or against his or her spouse or domestic partner, without the consent of the spouse or domestic partner; nor can either during marriage or during the domestic partnership or afterward, be without the consent of the... View More

Yes, if you have another case pending on conditions then a new charge will definitely have an impact on that. Depending on where you are, the new charge might get filed in a week, or might get filed in several months. You should definitely talk in private with an attorney in your area as soon as... View More

It depends on who is asking her to sign the release. If it is the store's risk management or legal representative, then I would definitely advise her to talk to a lawyer first. Most attorneys do a free consultation (probably by phone) so she can get her specific questions answered.

If... View More

The judgment that suspended you may expire after 10 (or it can be renewed). But even if it expires, the license remains suspended until reinstated. It's possible that you are eligible to reinstate, but of course there can be multiple reasons that a license is suspended; while one expires,... View More

Most counties have some kind of legal aid client designed to help tenants with landlord disputes. In Kitsap county it's https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/organization/kitsap-housing-justice-project

If you contact them, they might be able to point you to resources in your area.