Seattle DUI lawyer Tim Milios has been defending people charged with DUI and criminal traffic offenses throughout the state of Washington since 1993. Dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals charged with any criminal offense, his practice emphasis has been DUI and DUI related defense since that time. The Washington DUI Blog is intended to provided insight and perspective into the always changing landscape of DUI defense and commentary on the the issues, laws, cases, stories and events that effect DUI defense and those charged with DUI in Washington State.
Many Washington Courts Allowing Zoom Video Hearings During Covid-19 Pandemic
Going to court during ordinary circumstances can be stressful. The global pandemic has made court feel even more concerning. At Milios Defense, we have been working with the courts we practice in to determine each court’s policies for hearings and how best to support our clients through their case under new and ever-changing circumstances. One… Read More
Seattle Municipal Court to Return from Covid-19 Closure, Re-Opening in Phases
After shutting its doors to the public for the better part of three months in order to combat the spread of Covid-19, Seattle Municipal Court is preparing to return to “normal” operations. In an email to attorneys who regularly practice in Seattle Municipal Court, the chief clerk provided both a calendar of prospective dates as… Read More
Inslee Waives DUI Statute of Limitations During Covid-19 Closure
Citing his emergency powers and the need to help courts “maintain the criminal justice system” during the global Covid-19 pandemic, Washington Governor Jay Inslee waived the requirement that the government file criminal charges pursuant to the existing statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is the time limit imposed on a prosecuting authority, mandating that… Read More
Alcohol Treatment During COVID-19 State of Emergency
During the COVID-19 State of Emergency, the Washington State Secretary of Health has waived state statutory requirements that all substance use disorder services be provided in person. Accordingly, treatment agencies are temporarily authorized to conduct group and individual treatment sessions online via Skype, Facetime, Zoom and other such digital means. This also means that during… Read More
Supreme Court Strikes Down Hailey’s Law as Unconstitutional
Today the Washington Supreme Court, by way of a unanimous 9-0 en banc decision, struck as unconstitutional the eight year old statute commonly referred to as Hailey’s Law. Enacted in 2011 by the Washington State Legislature, Hailey’s Law required law enforcement to impound personal vehicles when a driver was arrested for suspicion of DUI. No… Read More
Felony DUI Law Comparisons
Despite recent changes to strengthen Washington’s felony DUI laws, two state legislators are introducing new legislation that will make these laws even tougher. Citing a belief that Washington’s DUI laws are too lax compared to the rest of the country, State Senators David Frokt and Mike Padden want to decrease the number of DUI convictions… Read More
Washington Dramatically Shortens Time for DUI/DOL Hearing Requests
As of January 1, 2019, the State of Washington has amended the rules with respect to the timing for requesting an Administrative hearing as well as the jurisdictional time limits within which the Department has to act. As a result, unaware drivers and attorneys could miss a very important deadline. Prior to the start of… Read More
2018 Canadian DUI Law Amendment to Make Entry Into Canada Even More Difficult
In June of 2018, Canada amended its criminal code via Bill C-46, to create more significant consequences for those convicted of DUI in that country. Taking effect in December of 2018, among other changes, the maximum penalty for a DUI will be increased from five to ten years. How does Bill C-46 affect entry into… Read More
Work Release Options for DUI Offenses Disappearing in Washington
For years, the option of being able to serve a DUI jail sentence by way of work release was almost a certainty. When a sentence for a second or third offense could range anywhere from 30 to 120 days at a minimum, work release provided an opportunity to salvage one’s employment. There were strict rules… Read More
Delays in the filing of Washington DUI charges – Revisited
You get arrested for DUI and processed, maybe even booked and released on bond, and then told charges and a summons to appear in court will be mailed. Several weeks, or even months, pass and nothing happens. In the intervening period, an administrative license suspension may have occurred and the license reinstated… but still no… Read More