My son needs legal help in Washington State.. FAST

[SoCalDem]

He got a citation for reckless driving and needs to find a lawyer up there ...right away.. Does anyone know anyone he can contact..

He was on his way to SEA/TAC airport

Someone cut in front of him of the highway, and he swerved into the shoulder and went around the guy.. and of course there was a cop ..

He faces a $5K fine and/or 1 yr in JAIL.. He is panicked ...

Help !!!

[Madrone]

1. Where in WA? It's a big state - :)

<eom>

[SoCalDem]

2. Near Seattle

:(

[Madrone]

5. Okay - I'm not in Seattle, and don't personally know of any lawyers

that handle this sort of thing. That said - here are some resources from the web.


http://heritage-law.lawoffice.com/

http://attorneypages.com/526WA2962/

http://www.citimall.com/legal/legal_articles/cars_tickets/2.htm


Hopefully something in here will help, if no one else chimes in with personal knowledge of a great lawyer.

I'm so sorry to hear your son is going thru this.

[Occulus]

3. If the police car

has a video recorder, your son can have that called into evidence to support his case. He needs to review it first, though, to decide if he wants to use it or not.

This sounds like a pretty simple case, though. Video evidence for his case would likely exonerate him.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Damn! Gratuitous is up there but I haven't seen him post lately

he'd know someone

Just IM'ed this thread to Zomby to see if he has any advice

[Zomby Woof]

8. I will make some calls

I don't have any personal legal connections up there, but still plenty of WA state ones... I surely agree this should be contested. WA state troopers are the worst. I have some stories from my 15 years there. I think your son can beat the rap.

So Cal, if I can find out any names that are useful, I will PM you.

ZW

[Paradise]

11. oooh,

want to commend you on your madrid memorial avatar. good for you. would very much like to join you, but don't know how. if only du would give us that choice we could all show our support of the citizens of spain.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Zomby is gonna call Geni and Johnny Awl

He'll post in a few minutes

[SoCalDem]

7. Thanks

:)

He's a basket case.. He's 30 and has a squeeky clean record..and he needs to drive for his job..

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

10. I dropped you an AIM note too

[Zomby Woof]

9. I will email too

That is usually the easiest way to reach them (Geni hates the phone with a passion).

[caledesi]

12. Here's a bunch who specialize in Driving Violations

Go to: http://www.lawyers.com/find_a_lawyer/search/results.php?newsearch=Y&searchtype=Q&termtype=1&site=111&prevpageid=00000&personalaop=738-854&city=seattle&state=52&country=1

Also, I run my own site www.legalsites.com and you can search for a lawyer there.

Look under TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS

edit: forgot something

[Paradise]

13. have you tried

your local bar association? they'll usually give you the names of three lawyers best suited to the problem. mentioning this just-in-case.

[SoCalDem]

14. Thanks.. I'll tell him

:)

[avb7]

15. Delay...Delay...Delay

Get a lawyer for sure but in the interim delay the case for as long as possible. Anything can happen to the trooper...leaves the job, transfers to another part of the state, retires. Time, if not the law is on your side. Worst case make a deal and plead to a lesser offense.

[SoCalDem]

16. kick for night timers

:(

[SOteric]

17. SoCal, I have a link that might help you.

Unfortunately, most of the lawyers I know here in Seattle specialise in Indian law, copyright law, juvenile and family law, or are members of the Seattle University student team under the guidance of Adam Chin. (And yet, some of them may be able to help, so I'm in contact).

Meanwhile, here is a link to the Washington State Bar's Access to Justice program:

http://www.wsba.org/atj/

[philosophie_en_rose]

18. good luck.

If your son can't afford an attorney, he needs to contact King County Public Defenders right away. http://www.metrokc.gov/dchs/opd/ It takes at least four days and $25 to be screened.

Or, he should contact a private attorney. However, it may be very expensive.

Before wasting his retainer, he may be able to find out more about contesting the ticket from this website:

http://www.kcll.org/researchhelp/researchguides/trafficinfractions.html

Beat Your Ticket: Go to Court and Win!, KF 2231.Z9 B76 1999. This guide is a very useful overview of the procedures for challenging a ticket. It covers legal research, basic concepts, and the steps of challenging your ticket all the way to a jury trial. This is a general guide to be used in all 50 states, so you will also need to check Washington-specific material.

http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/index.cfm/catID/8A09EBA2-DCC7-4589-9ADC0530153F4C9C/subcatid/CF015A63-6B69-4EED-A34B6F4035C8BE0E

[geniph]

19. Boy, I wish I knew something useful

my whole goal in life so far has been to never deal with attorneys, and I haven't ever had to fight any kind of moving violation (I've had two tickets in my whole life, and both cost me under $30). John might know more, as he's had more tickets, plus he's been through the ticket mill with his older son.

$5K and/or a year in jail sounds extraordinarily excessive for briefly swerving onto a shoulder.

I know there's a low-cost legal aid society in the state, but I think they handle mostly family law, not traffic law.

I hope John knows more, I've never had dealings with attorneys.

[RT Atlanta]

20. FIRMS

I used to work at this firm in Seattle:

http://www.steinernorris.com/

Brad Steiner, the lead partner, is a litigator and could either: i) help, or ii) put you in touch with someone that can.

Here's a link to a friend's firm too:

http://www.moorelawoffices.net/

She could probably help, or know where to go too.

Good luck!

[RT Atlanta]

21. response

I posted my reply to geniph's response, not your main note, but please see my "Firms" response if you havent already made headway with the other suggestions.

[SoCalDem]

22. UPDATE....

He had to go there on business again today, and pulled off the street to answer a call.. As luck would have it, it was in front of a lawyer's office..

He went in and asked a guy who just happened to be changing a lightbulb, if there was a lawyer who could advise him.. It turns out he was the managing partner in the firm and he set my son's mind at ease..

He said (like I had told him..see listen to your MOM)that he should be able to plead it down to a very low charge and it would probably only cost him around $800 and he might would not even have to go to court.. whew!!

A big thanks to Andy for giving me the name of a lawyer and for talking to my son the other day..

[blondeatlast]

23. Damn--DUers are GOOD!

I had no way to help, but I'm glad things seem to be working out.

We are really something on this board!