Canadians Charged with Driving While License Suspended in the 3rd Degree

by Mike Brodsky | Sep 18, 2018 | Criminal Defense

Being located close to the Canadian border, I get a lot of calls from Canadians who have somehow run afoul of the law down here in the States. Many Canadians are surprised at how vigorously some laws are enforced and how ubiquitous law enforcement is here. But one of...

Administrative Licensing Hearings with the Department of Licensing (DoL)

by Mike Brodsky | Jul 6, 2017 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Updates

Most folks know that when they get charged with a DUI they could end up with their driving privilege suspended if they are convicted or plead guilty. But did you know that you could have your privilege to drive suspended even if your criminal case is resolved with a...

New Jail in Whatcom County

by Mike Brodsky | Mar 15, 2017 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Updates

Whatcom County has been wrangling about a new jail – including a failed proposition for a sales tax increase to fund it. I thought it might be a good time to share a few thoughts from a criminal defense attorney’s perspective. First, on the larger issue of the...

SOC: The Better Alternative to a Deferred Sentence

by Mike Brodsky | Dec 4, 2015 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Sentencing, Updates

Last month, I wrote about deferred sentences and I why I don’t recommend them as an option to my clients seeking to resolve misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges without getting a criminal conviction on their record. Here I will discuss the alternative I prefer:...

Why I Hate Deferred Sentences

by Mike Brodsky | Nov 2, 2015 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Pages, Sentencing, Updates

RCW 3.66.067, Assessment of punishment–Suspension or deferral of sentence–Dismissal of charges, authorizes Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (District or Municipal courts) to “[a]fter a conviction . . . impose sentence by suspending all or a portion of the...

Should You Take the Roadside Field Sobriety Tests?

by Mike Brodsky | Apr 21, 2015 | Criminal Defense, Criminal Law, Updates

A  lot of my DUI clients tell me they agreed to to take the “voluntary” filed sobriety tests (FSTs) offered by the law enforcement officer because they wanted to appear “cooperative” or simply didn’t understand that they had every right...