At Law Office of Brandon K. Miller, PLLC, PLLC we have represented defendants in hundreds of DUI cases at every stage of proceedings from the initial post-arrest phone call in the BAC room through dismissal hearings.  When under investigation for DUI, the importance of the early decisions that you make and steps you take to protect your rights cannot be overstated. Often times you will not be allowed the benefit of speaking to an attorney while stopped on the side of the road but an attorney should be requested – repeatedly, if necessary – at every step of the investigation.  If under investigation for driving under the influence of alcohol, you will eventually be asked to submit to a breath test at a police station or jail at which point, again, you should ask to speak to an attorney. Depending on the outcome of the breath test (and whether you refused to submit to it or not), you may be facing a Washington State license suspension, even if you have an out-of-state license.  You will have the opportunity to challenge this suspension or revocation at a DOL Hearing but you or your attorney must submit the appropriate written request within seven days of the incident.

If you are booked into jail and you are fortunate enough to bail out, you will need to return to court to appear before a judge in short order.  In many jurisdictions, including Kitsap County and its municipal courts, the first appearance will be held the next court day following a DUI arrest.  At this hearing, you will enter a plea of “not guilty” and the court will set conditions of release that you will need to follow while the case is pending.  At this hearing, the Court might even increase bail which would result in another jail booking until more bail is posted. The court might also order that you have an ignition interlock device (“blow-and-go” or “IID”) installed in your vehicle, which can be a problem for people who share vehicles or who drive employer-owned vehicles.  At this first appearance, you will also be told of your next court date which may be anywhere from three to six weeks later.

During this period, your attorney will need to begin conducting their own investigation and you should begin to take certain steps to proactively address the situation.  Because of the seven day deadline to request a DOL Hearing and because of the fifteen day deadline during which you must respond to any other traffic infractions (like a speeding ticket) that were issued, it is easy to miss deadlines.  In light of this, it is always better to seek representation as early in the process as possible.

At Law Office of Brandon K. Miller, PLLC, PLLC, we take special pride in the tenacity with which we defend against DUI charges and we look forward to telling you how we separate ourselves from the rest of the pack.

-Driving While Under The Influence

-Driving While Intoxicated

-Alcohol

-Marijuana

We offer free consults on DUI cases.