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.
2011 Changes to Washington Ignition Interlock Laws
House Bill 1789, adopted in April of 2011, focused on issues ranging from ignition interlock laws, to DUI penalty increases to the creation of state and federally funded “DUI courts”. Starting on September 1, 2011, changes to the existing Washington Ignition Interlock laws take effect. One of these changes will potentially reduce the amount of… Read More
Website Helps Washington Drivers Decide Where to Drink and Drive
Planning on going out for dinner and a couple drinks but not sure where you want to go? The folks at the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) have just helped make that decision a little easier. In an effort to dissuade people from drinking and driving, the WTSC has made public the locations for future DUI… Read More
Hailey’s Law: Alternatively known as the Tow Yard Operator’s Welfare Proviso.
As of July 22, 2011, police officers making DUI arrests in the State of Washington no longer have the option to leave to person’s vehicle parked where it is or to allow another person to drive the vehicle home. On that date, legislation enacted back in April of 2011 took effect, commanding that the vehicle… Read More
2011 Ignition Interlock Law Addresses Some Concerns, Ignores Others
In 2008, the Washington State Legislature created the Ignition Interlock License (IIL). Effective in January of 2009, individuals who had been convicted of DUI or had their license suspended or revoked administratively were, in most cases, now given the opportunity to continue driving during the period of suspension/revocation so long as this new law was… Read More
Newly Elected Judges, Removal of Position, Changes Make up of Seattle Municipal Court
With one legislative action and one election, the face of the Seattle Municipal Court has gone through its most dramatic change in decades. The facelift began when the Seattle City Counsel decided to trim one of the eight judicial positions on the Seattle Municipal Court due to budgetary cuts. It ended when four new judges… Read More
Washington Supreme Court Suspends King County District Court Judge Judith Eiler For Five Days
King County District Court Judge Judith Eiler has been suspended for five days without pay by order of the Washington Supreme Court. The order represents a reduction of the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct’s initial ruling that the judge be suspended for a period of ninety (90) days. The suspension is based upon repeated violations… Read More
“Drive Hammered, Get Nailed” DUI Campaign in Effect in King County Starting in August
Beginning August 12, 2010, and ending September 6, 2010, every major law enforcement agency in King County, Washington, will be participating in the Washington State’s Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign. The King County DUI task force will include police agencies from Algona, Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Clyde Hill, Covington, Des Moines, Duvall-Carnation, Enumclaw, Federal Way,… Read More
State Fails To Address Inequities in DUI Related Reckless Driving License Suspensions
There have been a number of Washington state legislative changes in the past couple of years, and some forthcoming at the start of 2011, that have eased the license suspension concerns of those facing Washington DUI convictions and DUI related Department of Licensing administrative sanctions. Unfortunately, if the driver has an original charge of DUI reduced to Reckless… Read More
State Court of Appeals Dismisses Felony DUI Case in State v. Castle
Last week, Division One of the Washington Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of a Felony DUI charge against a man who had been stopped for DUI at least 15 times previously. If we can get beyond the sensationalistic aspect of the ruling based on the history of the defendant, we find a very well reasoned decision… Read More
WSP launches “Target Zero” Campaign in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties
Thursday, July 1, 2010, marked the Washington State Patrol’s kick off of “Target Zero“, a two year DUI emphasis patrol campaign. The campaign involves three dozen law enforcement officers from King, Pierce and Snohomish Counites and a team of “traffic safety resource” prosecutors to help officers draft arrest reports and assist local prosecutors in presenting their cases in… Read More