DUI Defense Lawyer in King & Snohomish Counties
Every time the state of Washington thinks it has made it easier for prosecutors to convict people charged with drunk driving, DUI defense lawyers seem to find problems with their laws and procedures. Those problems create defenses that an experienced DUI defense lawyer can use to protect your rights.
I'm Schöen Parnell, a DUI defense lawyer with offices in Lynnwood and Kirkland. I have extensive experience defending people charged with drunk driving in Washington state and will know what defenses apply in your case. I offer a free initial consultation in my office to discuss your case.
Here are some examples of defenses an experienced lawyer can use and have used:
- Under Washington's implied consent law, police officers read a statement warning you of the licensing consequences if you blow over the legal limit or if refuse to take a breath test. However, DUI defense lawyers have argued that the language used in the warning is misleading, fundamentally unfair, and denies your due process rights. Some judges have agreed with those arguments and have suppressed the breath test results.
- Afiew years ago, the Washington state toxicology lab manager signed an affidavit stating that she tested the alcohol solution used to calibrate Datamaster machines, when actually somebody else did the testing. In some Snohomish County and King County courts, judges were suppressing the results of breath tests based on this and numerous other problems in the toxicology lab. Some courts are still suppressing breath and/or blood tests based on either internal malfeasance or for failure to follow accepted scientific protocol.
- An experienced DUI defense attorney may be able to challenge the field sobriety test results. I have the same training and certification as the police officers who conduct field sobriety tests, and I am even qualified to teach them how to conduct these tests. I know how to cross-examine officers who conduct these tests and I know when these tests have not been conducted according to the standardized protocols.
- In 2004, Washington state enacted a new law making it extremely easy for prosecutors to get breath test results admitted into evidence to juries. However, DUI lawyers argued that the law was unconstitutional and hundreds of breath tests were suppressed until October 2006.
Free Consultation With an Experienced DUI Defense Lawyer
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