Paul Hanson: Lynnwood, WA DUI Lawyer

Lynnwood, WA Attorney Paul Hanson

Washington State DUI Laws

Being charged with or convicted of a Drunk Driving DUI In Lynnwood, WA can carry serious consequences for you and your family:

• Jail time
• Mandatory electronic home monitoring (EHM)
• Fines
• Criminal record
• Probation / court supervision
• Driver’s license suspension / revocation
• Restrictions on car driving license
• SR 22 Auto Insurance – and higher auto insurance rates for many years.
• Possible cancelled car insurance policy coverage.
• Mandatory Ignition Interlock Device requirement for all cases
• Mandatory alcohol or drug treatment
• No entry into Canada

DUI and Physical Control laws are strictly enforced in Lynnwood, WA and the rest of Washington State. The current legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) is .08% for adults and .02% for those under 21. The legal limit for marijuana DUIs is 5 nanograms for blood THC content. However, you can still be charged with DUI even if you are below these limits if the Prosecution can show that you were “affected” or “impaired” by any amount of alcohol, drugs, or both. You can also be convicted of “Physical Control of Vehicle While Intoxicated,” even if you aren’t actually driving the vehicle at the time of your arrest.

If your police blood or breath alcohol test was .15% or higher, or if you refused the breath or blood test, the 1st time DUI offense penalties are greater. And there are much harsher mandatory DUI jail terms, fines & license revocation penalties for a second or third DUI offense. Especially if within 7 years of a prior Drunk Driving DUI conviction. 

These above issues are what you face after being arrested & charged with a DUI. But there are strong defenses to DUI and Physical Control which you can to raise that may greatly help to your case. And there is always the DUI Deferred Prosecution alcohol or drug treatment and case dismissal option for those with severe alcohol or drug problems who are willing to immediately enter long term treatment.

It costs you nothing to talk with Lynnwood, WA Attorney Hanson about your DUI charges and case. He offers a FREE first phone or office legal consultations. He'll give you an immediate assessment of your charges, case and possible criminal defenses. So call him to protect your most valuable possessions: your freedom, your criminal record, and your Washington State driver's license. 

Special DUI Defense Information In King & Snohomish Counties

Currently, almost all Snohomish County and North King County district and municipal courts do not hold in person court anymore during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead they all hold court online via Zoom. Attorney Hanson and his clients attend court via Zoom from his Lynnwood, WA law office. Social spacing and masks are strictly adhered to at all times.

DUI Drunk Driving - King & Snohomish Counties. Lynnwood, Washington.

WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING

Driver License Suspension Telephone Hearings Information

(For Drunk Driving DUI Cases Only)

Your Washington State Department of Licensing DUI driver license suspension / revocation case will not be heard in court. Instead it will be heard entirely in a telephone conference call by a Department of Licensing (DOL) Hearing Examiner assigned to your DUI driver's license suspension case. You will have 7 days from the day of your arrest to request and pay the $375.00 DOL fee for this DOL telephone hearing. This DOL telephone hearing will then be scheduled within 30 business days of the DOL's receipt of your request & fee payment. The assigned DOL Hearing Examiner will call you and your DUI lawyer on your lawyer’s office speaker telephone. Or on your own home or cell phone if you don’t have a lawyer.

These DOL driver license suspension telephone hearings usually take about 25 to 50 minutes. You have the right to testify, to present witness testimony and to present any other evidence you want to have considered in your defense. If you win, your Washington State driver's license will not be suspended or revoked. If you lose, your license will be suspended or revoked for anywhere from 90 days to 1 year (for a 1st DUI arrest) to 2 years (for a 2nd or 3rd DUI arrest within last 7 years).

These Washington State Department of Licensing DUI license suspension telephone hearings are difficult to win, even with an experienced DUI lawyer. And you have almost no chance of winning without a lawyer.

You face the above Department of Licensing administrative suspension of your Washington State driver's license even if you are found not guilty of the DUI in court. This additional DOL license suspension penalty is imposed if your police breath or blood alcohol test was .08% or higher. Or if you refused to take the police breath test during your DUI processing at the police station.

Marijuana DUI Information For Lynnwood, Snohomish County, King County & Washington State

A Seattle KIRO News 7 news video showed that most drivers won't even feel affected when they go over the Washington State marijuana DUI THC legal limit of 5 nanograms while driving. So marijuana users have to be very careful when driving. You can't just go by whether or not you feel "high." You will usually be way over the 5 nanogram legal limit by the time you feel "high".