Criminal Law

Attorney Mark Blair Completes DUI Training Course

June 17, 2014 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

Seattle DUI Attorney Mark Blair – one of Blair & Kim, PLLC’s founding attorneys – has dedicated his professional career to protecting the rights, freedoms, and futures of clients facing criminal charges. As a former prosecutor, Attorney Blair understands how the “other side” thinks – an attribute that often proves beneficial for our firm’s clients. In an effort to gain a further understanding of the tactics used by law enforcement officers who administer DUI stops and tests, Attorney Blair recently completed the DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Student Course.

The three-day DUI course – which is conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the same course officers must complete in order to arrest drivers for DUI and administer Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

By earning his Certificate of Training, Attorney Blair was able to gain a precise understanding of the procedures officers must adhere to when administering tests to DUI suspects. With this knowledge, he is better equipped to identify mistakes made by law enforcement officers, which can be used to fight charges against his clients.

Seattle DUI Attorney Mark Blair Successfully Reduces DUI Charge

March 8, 2014 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

Seattle Criminal Defense Lawyer Mark Blair – co-founder of Blair & Kim – was recently successful in representing one of our firm’s clients who was charged with driving under the influence (DUI). Although the case presented some challenges, particularly because the client refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, Attorney Blair was able to suppress crucial evidence and substantially reduce our client’s charges.

The case in question involved our client’s DUI arrest, during which he refused to submit to a breath test. In the state of Washington, drivers who refuse a breath test may be subject to automatic license suspensions, and evidence of the refusal may be used as evidence against them in court. Given the circumstances surrounding our client’s arrest, however, Attorney Blair pursued a motion to suppress evidence of the breath test refusal.

By bolstering his motion to suppress with clear evidence and support from relevant case law, Attorney Blair was able to establish that using our client’s refusal to submit to a breath test as evidence would be an unconstitutional and unlawful curtailment of his Fourth Amendment Rights. Attorney Blair’s motion focused on establishing that a breath test is a search for constitutional purposes, and that because the breath test was warrantless, it could not be used against our client in court. Ultimately, the court granted the motion to suppress, and our clients charges were reduced from DUI to negligent driving in the first degree.

Arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Pot?

November 4, 2013 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

Last November, pot was legalized for recreational use in Washington. The passage of this legislation, Washington Initiative 502, created many questions for users in Washington such as: How old do I have to be to use marijuana? How much am I allowed to have in my possession? Can I grow marijuana? Can I sell marijuana to others? What happens if I commit a violent crime or a crime against property while under the influence of marijuana? With confusion surrounding the Initiative, you may have been charged with violating Washington law. If you have been charged with a pot-related offense, call Blair & Kim, PLLC to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney.

A month later, in December 2012, Washington developed DUI limits for pot use. This too led to questions such as: Can I smoke pot and drive? How much can I smoke before I drive? Is there a “DUI limit” for THC blood concentration? What is a “pot DUI” or a “marijuana DUI”?

To see how the Washington State Patrol (WSP) is responding to the passage of marijuana in the state, check out an article from National Public Radio’s Program All Things Considered: http://www.npr.org/2013/11/06/243466218/there-may-be-a-green-light-for-pot-but-not-for-driving-high.

Cited with a DUI?

September 7, 2013 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), it can result in a license suspension, license revocation, fines, seizure of your car, a DUI arrest on your driving record for 15 years, potential jail time or home detention, and other serious consequences.

Even if this is your first DUI you could be facing a fine of $5,000 and up to one year in jail. Your license can be suspended for 3 months if your BAC was less than .15% or one year or more if it was over .15%. If your license is suspended, however, you may be able to have an ignition interlock installed in your vehicle. See our blog entry, “Ignition Interlock Driver License” for more information or call Blair & Kim, PLLC to see if you may be eligible for this type of license.

If you’ve had more than one DUI, the consequences can be even more severe. Additionally, you may have more than one DUI even if you haven’t officially been charged. In King County, you may be awaiting DUI charges for months. See our other blog entry, “King County Often Takes Months to File DUI Charges” for more about this topic.

Ignition Interlock Device

August 14, 2013 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

When you are accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, a conviction can mean you lose your ability to drive due to a license suspension or revocation. Depending on the situation, the length of time for which you are unable to drive can vary. In order to regain your license, you may have the option of having an Ignition Interlock Driver License. This means you will be able to drive, but only with an ignition interlock device installed in your car. It will require you to breathe into it, at which point it will assess the level of alcohol that is on your breath in order to start. If alcohol is found on your breath then the car won’t start. It may also require rolling tests, where it requires you to breathe into the device even after you have been driving. Not everyone is eligible to file, and in order to seek this option the following circumstances must be true of your situation.

You are a resident of the state
Your license is not expired
You are accused of:
Vehicular Homicide that involved alcohol or drugs
Reckless Driving
Vehicular Assault with the use of alcohol or drugs
DUI or Physical Control
The suspension or revocation does not include a minor in possession or Habitual Traffic Offender.

In order to apply for the program you will have to have the device installed in your vehicle and the company that does the installation will need to let the Washington State Department of Licensing know. You will need proof of financial responsibility and this may be done through a Certificate of Insurance. A Restricted Driver License Application will need to be filled out and filed. The application form can be given to the office or mailed in and it will need to include a fee. The application and details of the case will be assessed in order to make the decision. For those who are approved, they will need to reapply each year to keep the ability to drive. For individuals who have their application denied, it is possible to reapply in a six month period.

Having the Ignition Interlock Driver License doesn’t just mean that your car needs to have the device installed. If there are other cars that you will be using, then those will need the device as well. Fees for the device include the installation cost, maintenance or repairs, application fees, and a monthly fee for the device. While there are certain setbacks with the device, having it can be extremely beneficial. Not having the ability to drive is something you may not realize as being so damaging until you are in the situation yourself. Talk with a Seattle criminal defense lawyer from Blair & Kim, PLLC to find out what may be done in your situation.

Sealing, Vacating, or Expunging Your Criminal Record

August 1, 2013 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

If you have been detained, arrested, charged, acquitted, or convicted of a crime—even as a juvenile—you may have a criminal record. Criminal records are maintained by the courts and law enforcement agencies and may be discoverable by those in the general public. Your criminal record may affect your reputation, employment opportunities, or housing applications, and may be considered in determining sentencing if you are convicted of a later crime.

Criminal records are not automatically vacated even if you have completed the requirements of the sentence or probation. You must file a motion and attend a hearing to have this information removed from your record. At Blair & Kim, we understand the importance of protecting your rights.

Under the laws of Washington, we may be able to prevent others from accessing information about your prior offenses. We can help you attempt to seal, vacate, or expunge your criminal history. This means your records will be destroyed or may be more difficult to discover or view without a court order.

New Efforts Taken in Drug Treatment

December 13, 2012 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

In the state of Washington, drug crimes can come with a high cost for a suspect that is convicted by the court. Penalties can cost thousands in fines, years behind bars and more. Those found guilty can have their life changed by the sentencing that they are given. These crimes in the past have been handled by the state courts however; some crimes that are committed can break federal laws and will be tried in a different court. The federal court in Seattle is experimenting with their tactics for trying and prosecuting these crimes. They are taking a page from the state courts which use specialized drug programs as a part of their system. This new development gained some assistance being pushed through from the U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez. He also has been involved with developing the treatment plan and what will be required of those that become a part of the program.

It is aimed at those that have less severe charges that committed their crimes out of an addiction to the drug, rather than committing the crime for the mere profit of it. They will have to have no prior sexual or violent offenses in their past, no mental health problems that are uncontrollable and no more than two felonies in order to be eligible. The federal court is commonly thought to only deal with the higher up cases but this will give them influence in rehabilitating convicted individuals. In order to avoid the harsher penalties of a conviction, the individual that is found guilty will need to agree to enter in to the program which will generally run between a year or two. This may benefit them greatly to avoid jail time or higher fines and to enter back in to society. It is expected that the program will start off small and focus on about 10 individuals in the first year. When charged with a crime the best option is to fight against the penalties but in some cases there may be options that can be explored in the negotiations process. Work with a caring Seattle criminal lawyer from our firm to learn more.

The Walk-and-Turn Test

October 8, 2012 | by Blair & Kim, PLLC

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration uses a few tests that are known as the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. These have been reviewed and developed for the purpose of assessing which drivers are under the influence of alcohol while operating a vehicle. The NHTSA has given their stamp of approval for these tests and they have undergone research to determine the level of accuracy for each one. The tests that are used include the One-Leg-Stand, the HGN test and the Walk-and Turn test.

This last one is known by many people and has even been shown in numerous movies, though the details of it are not always accurate. The test has a number of specific rules that will be explained to a suspect and they will need to be carried out in order to pass. The suspect will need to walk a straight line for nine steps, putting one foot directly in front of the other heel-to-toe. After they have gone far enough they will need to turn around on one foot and come back in the same way. This test reviews their ability to divide their attention between performing the physical movements and carrying out the instructions that have been given to them. Their coordination will be reviewed by witnessing if they need to use their arms to balance, remember to put one foot in front of the other, make a wrong turn, take the wrong number of steps or step off of the line.

It is stated by the NHTSA that this tests has a 79 percent accuracy rate for determining who has a blood alcohol content level of .08 or more amongst individuals that show two or more of these difficulties during the test. This however, is speculation and does not always prove true on the field. Many innocent suspects are wrongfully accused. Contact Blair & Kim if you have been charged for drinking and driving, including if you failed a field sobriety test.