If you were arrested for a Mercer Island DUI (in the city of Mercer Island by a Mercer Island Police Officer) your case will be filed in the Mercer Island Municipal Court. The filing of your DUI in Mercer Island means that the prosecutors working on your case will be from the Mercer Island City Attorney’s office and the judge will be the sole elected judge for the city of Mercer Island.
DUI cases that are filed in Mercer Island are generally filed within a month of your arrest. This does not mean that you should wait before talking with a Mercer Island DUI attorney. Your privilege to drive is at risk of administrative suspension through the Washington Department of Licensing. You have 20 days from the date of your DUI arrest to request an administrative hearing. There are also several steps that you can begin working on now that will ultimately be helpful in the negotiation of your case. By being proactive you and your Mercer Island DUI lawyer will be prepared when your case is filed. This will ultimately save you money, time and stress when your case is filed.
Knowing the possible judges before whom your arraignment will be heard is another important reason to be prepared with counsel prior to your case being filed. During the course of your case you will have one opportunity to file what is called an “Affidavit of Prejudice” against a judge. This prevents the named judge from making any legal rulings on your case. It can only be filed before the named judge has made any discretionary rulings on your case. Having retained an experienced Mercer Island DUI attorney you will have the benefit of our insights into the judge who will be handling your arraignment. This will likely have an impact not only on your conditions of release but on the future outcome of your case as well. It is important that your next court appearance is set before a judge who will be a fair and unbiased trier of fact. This is an important consideration in Mercer Island DUI cases. Your DUI lawyer will set your next court date and you can be confident that we will exercise any affidavits judiciously and in your best interests.