Paul Hanson: Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyers
Alderwood Business Center - Bldg 3500
3500 188th St SW, Suite 205
Lynnwood, WA 98037
Call Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyers: 425-778-7339
Email: attypaulhanson@aol.com
Lake Forest Park, WA DUI? Free First Phone or Office Lawyer Consultation
FORMER LYNNWOOD, WA CRIMINAL PROSECUTOR. NOW, EXPERIENCED LAKE FOREST PARK, WA DUI LAWYER
Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson has 40+ years experience in defending DUI charges, criminal charges & Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) driver license suspensions. Also DUI drunk driving criminal charges in all the other district & municipal courts of Snohomish County. Lawyer Hanson helps clients get their old criminal convictions, arrests expunged or deleted from their criminal records. He is a former Lynnwood, WA City Criminal Prosecutor.
HIGHEST DUI LAWYER RATINGS
Paul Hanson has received the highest possible legal ratings from the national lawyer rating services. An "AV-Preeminent" rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a "10-Superb" rating from Avvo.com.
AFFORDABLE LAKE FOREST PARK, WA DUI LAWYER FEES - FREE FIRST CRIMINAL DEFESE CONSULTATION
Hiring a very experienced DUI lawyer does not have to be unreasonably expensive. Lake Forest Park, WA Lawyer Paul Hanson's fees and case costs are very reasonable, especially when compared to other local Lake Forest Park DUI lawyers with far less DUI experience. And very reasonable when compared to the total costs of a DUI or criminal conviction: the court fines and costs, court probation fees, increased SR22 auto insurance premium rates, etc. Even a first time DUI conviction can cost you $12,000 or more over the next five years. And for your convenience, Lake Forest Park, WA Lawyer Paul Hanson accepts case payments in cash, money orders or local personal checks. Lastly, Lawyer Paul Hanson provides a free first drunk driving consultation (office visit or by phone).
SPECIAL LAKE FOREST PARK, WA DUI LEGAL INFORMATION
DUI is a serious offense in Washington State, King County and Lake Forest Park, WA, the state with the toughest DUI laws in the country. Here DUI is a gross misdemeanor crime which carries harsh penalties if convicted.
Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson investigates everything, from inaccurate blood and breath alcohol tests, to the arrest location's road conditions, traffic patterns, weather, environmental conditions, and your personal medical conditions which might affect your police blood/breath alcohol tests. Because Lake Forest Park, WA police mistakes can result in improper traffic stops, DUI criminal arrests, criminal charges, tickets, and inaccurate DUI breath or blood alcohol test results, he will thoroughly analyze all of the case evidence to find facts and evidence which can help your defense and avoid a DUI conviction.
DUI DEFERRED PROSECUTION
If you suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, and or a mental condition which resulted in your DUI offense, you can completely avoid a DUI conviction and almost all the DUI conviction punishments, by petitioning the court for a DUI Deferred Prosecution before trial. Deferred Prosecution for drunk driving requires completion of a two (2) year alcohol or drug treatment program at a Washington State approved alcohol or drug treatment agency, total abstinence during treatment, an Ignition Interlock Device installed in your car for at least one year, payment of court costs, and successful completion of five (5) years court probation. After 5 years, your DUI charge is then completely dismissed. Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson has been helping clients get the right alcohol or drug treatment and obtain court DUI Deferred Prosecutions for over 40+ years.
LAKE FOREST PARK, WA DUI LAWYERS
If you are charged with or convicted of a DUI in Lake Forest Park, WA, there will be serious consequences for you and your family for many years, including the following:
- Jail time
- Mandatory electronic home monitoring (EHM)
- Big Fines, Fees & Costs
- King County, WA Court Probation
- Washington State Driver's license suspension or revocation
- Restriction of driving privileges
- Much higher Lake Forest Park, WA auto insurance rates - possibly dropped auto coverage from your insurance company
- Mandatory SR 22 Auto Insurance - additional auto insurance coverage with higher premiums
- Mandatory Interlock Ignition Device (IID - "blow and go")
- Mandatory alcohol or drug treatment (1 day to 1 year)
- Loss of any Federal / State transportation licenses (CDL, Pilot, etc.)
- No entry into Canada
WASHINGTON STATE DUI LAWS ARE TOUGH
DUI and Physical Control laws are strictly enforced in Lake Forest Park, King County and all over Washington State. The current legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08 for adults and 0.02 for minors under 21. The legal limit for marijuana THC blood content is 5 nanograms. However, you can be charged with DUI even if you are below these limits if the Prosecution can show that your driving was "affected" by any amount of alcohol, drugs or both. You can also be convicted of "Physical Control of Vehicle While Impaired" if you are just sitting in the driver's seat impaired but not actually driving the vehicle. The penalties for "Physical Control" are identical to those for DUI.
If your blood or breath test was 0.15 or higher, or if you refused the test, the DUI penalties are even harsher. The DUI penalties are progressively higher for a second or third DUI offenses, especially if within a 7 year period.
If you produce an 0.08 alcohol level or higher on police breath or drunk driving blood tests, or 5 nanograms or higher of THC (Marijuana) on your police blood tests, or if you refuse a police breath (Breathalyzer) test, then you also face an additional Department of Licensing administrative suspension / revocation of your Washington State driver's license. Even if you are found not guilty of DUI in your separate court case.
You can greatly improve your chances of avoiding a DUI conviction and a DOL administrative license suspension by hiring an experienced Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer as soon as possible after your DUI arrest. A DOL telephone hearing can be requested to contest the DOL administrative license suspension. However, the time deadline to request these DOL telephone hearings to stop the automatic suspension of your license is very short, only 7 days. Contacting an experienced DUI lawyer, like Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson, right away is the best way to maximize your chances of keeping your drivers license and avoiding a DUI court conviction.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING - Driver License Suspension Telephone Hearings Information (For DUI Cases Only)
Your Washington State Department of Licensing DUI license suspension case will not be heard in a court. Instead, it will be heard in a telephone conference call with a Department of Licensing (DOL) Hearing Examiner assigned to your DOL license suspension case. This telephone hearing will usually be scheduled within 30 days of your DUI arrest date (usually on the 21st to 25th day). The assigned DOL Hearing Examiner will call you and your 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 license suspension telephone hearings usually take about 20 to 40 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, there will be no license suspension. If you lose, your license will be suspended or revoked for anywhere from 90 days to 1 year to 2 years.
MARIJUANA DUI INFORMATION
An interesting video on KIRO TV News 7 showed that most drivers don't even feel affected when they go over the THC (marijuana) legal limit of 5 nanograms when driving. 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.
FREE FIRST LAKE FOREST PARK, WA DUI LEGAL CONSULTATION
It costs you nothing to talk with Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson about your case. He offers a FREE first phone or office DUI consultation. He'll give you an immediate assessment of your DUI case, possible defenses, and possible case strategies. Call Lake Forest Park, WA DUI Lawyer Paul Hanson at 425-778-7339 for a FREE drunk driving legal defense first consultation (by phone or office visit).