Top 10 Tips for Dealing with Police

john@wblawfirm.com — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:53:04 +0100

1. Always be calm and cool.

2. You have the right to remain silent, and you should.

3. You have the right to refuse [warrantless] searches, and you should.

4. Don't get tricked into waiving your rights.

5. Determine if you're free to go.

Why I Support Legalizing Pot

john@wblawfirm.com — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:36:06 +0100

Initiative 502 is currently gathering signatures. At its simplest, I-502 seeks to legalize marijuana and replace it with regulated sales. While I-502 may not be perfect, it would be a wise start. Through November, registered voters can sign I-502 petitions at our offices. For more on I-502, visit their web site at: http://www.newapproachwa.org

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Is Casey Anthony Guilty of Murder?

steven@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:29:23 +0100

Is Casey Anthony guilty of murdering her daughter Caylee? No. Absolutely not. She is without a doubt not guilty.

Is Casey Anthony innocent of murder? From what I read in the papers I doubt it, although I don’t really know.

So how can I be so sure that she is not guilty if I have doubts about her innocence? How can I reconcile t [...]

Should You File for Divorce or Legal Separation?

beth@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:36:56 +0100

The question you want to ask yourself is if you want your marriage completely dissolved after 90 days or if you want to remain married but have everything legally divided between the parties. The first thing you must do in either situation is file a summons and petition, serve the other party, and wait 90 days. The big difference between a divorce and a legal separation is that after you file a summons and petition with the court, you have a wait time before final do [...]

Trouble with Ignition Interlocks

john@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:50:25 +0100

Ignition interlocks don’t always make the roads safer. In fact, somet [...]

Modern Day Scarlet Letter - the Z Plate Idea

john@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:38:27 +0100

There’s currently a bill pending in Olympia to make drivers convicted of DUI get a special license for their car. If passed, House Bill 1955 would require every person convicted of DUI to get a license plate marked with a Z, and it would be a crime for the person to drive any other vehicle.

While it might sound enticing to brand drivers this way, it’s nothing more than the “A” for adultery f [...]

When Trial Attorneys Stay Out of the Courtroom: Divorce Mediation

kate@wblawfirm.com — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:09:55 +0100

When you are faced with the prospect of divorce, it is important to understand that you have options outside of the courtroom. While mediation may not work for every divorcing couple in every situation, if it works, it can save time, money, stress, and generally gets better outcomes.

What is Divorce Mediation? Divorcing couples attend mediation to reach a voluntary agreement, and if they do, that agreement is just as bi [...]

Prostitution Sting - A Good Use of Your Tax Dollars?

steven@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:26:05 +0100

A recent story in the Wenatchee World noted that five men were arrested for attempting to solicit a prostitute in Wenatchee. These arrests were the result of a sting operation masterminded by the Wenatchee Police Department. With all of the news about budget shortfalls, layoffs and decreased revenue, it might be interesting to look at what this sting likely cost the City of Wenatchee, and compare it to what it achieved.

First, let’s look at what i [...]

Over Abundance, Aggressive Law Enforcment Kills the Nature of Festivals

info@adonaimedia.com — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:07:54 +0100

Tourism is a key source of revenue for the Wenatchee Valley. Yet, the most high profile tourist events (Apple Blossom & Oktoberfest) are headed towards extinction. While I could provide several examples of how tourism is being deterred and extinguished from Apple Blossom, Oktoberfest is the most recent festival and prompted the following commentary.

Leavenworth and Chelan County ad [...]

Give That Juror A Medal! Published in the Wenatchee World 9-17-10

john@wblawfirm.com — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:38:12 +0100

JoAnn Chiakulas deserves a medal. Who is she? She was the holdout juror in the trial of disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The jury voted 11-1 to convict. Chiakulas held her ground. She’s been widely criticized because she held out and would not convict. But she did what she was legally obligated to do. She did what the court instructed her to do. She did what many jurors don’t do. She deserves a medal.

Many jurors are too quick to just [...]

Injured In An Accident - How Do I Pay For My Medical Bills?

beth@wblawfirm.com — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:19:57 +0100

One of the main concerns for individuals who are injured in an accident is how they are going to get their medical bills paid. Well, if you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, hopefully you have personal injury protection with your auto insurance. If you do not have it, we highly recommend that you get it. You can set the coverage limits yourself and normally this coverage is pretty reasonable.

If you do not have personal injury protection [...]

Field Sobriety Tests and PBT are Voluntary

info@adonaimedia.com — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:31:55 +0100

Almost everyone who has been charged with the crime of Driving under the Influence (DUI) and even those who have not, are familiar with “Field Sobriety Tests” and the “Portable Breath Test” (PBT). What most people do not understand is that these “Tests” are absolutely VOLUNTARY and should be respectfully declined.

Any police officer that has suspicion that you are DUI will inevitably reque [...]

Red Light Cameras, Cell Phones and Big Brother

steven@wblawfirm.com — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:13:10 +0100

We all love technology when it works and hate it when it doesn’t. Our computers have become an indispensible and useful part of our everyday lives, but if the internet is down or our hard drive crashes it can ruin our whole day. Everyone seems to have a cell phone so we are never out of touch no matter where we are. Except it drives us crazy if we are some place where there is no signal. Generally, we all love the new technology. But how do we feel when it starts to be [...]

Justice Around the World

john@wblawfirm.com — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0100

For the past several years I have visited Thailand, specifically the resort and ex-patriot area of Chonburi, approximately 90 miles south-east of Bangkok.

On a couple of occasions I have been stopped by the police for a traffic violation. One time was for running a red light, although it was more like a right-on-red. There were three problems with that: 1. They don’t have right-on-red in Thailand. 2. Since they driv [...]

No Victim? Assault Charge Dropped???

beth@wblawfirm.com — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

If the victim wants the assault charge dropped, then the case gets dismissed right? Wrong. The victim being unwilling to cooperate or testify will not resolve a case, however, it is certainly a powerful and useful factor in a case and helpful to the defendant. Nonetheless, most defendants are under the impression that if they are charged with an assault charge and the victim does not want to participate in the case, then it will get dismissed. Unfortunately, this is not how it works. T [...]

Head On Collision Settled for $300,000

john@wblawfirm.com — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:58:30 +0100

On July 16, 2007, Ron[1] was driving a company truck south-bound on US-97 near Omak, WA. A driver going the opposite direction tried to pass a semi-truck in a no-passing zone. Ron tried to avoid a head-on collision but was unable to do so because of the guardrail [...]

New Breath Test Machine for Washington State

john@wblawfirm.com — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

For about twenty (20) years Washington has used one breath test machine, commonly (although incorrectly) called a breathalyzer. That machine is the BAC DataMaster, manufactured by National Patent Analytical Systems, in Mansfield Ohio. It is the only evidentiary breath test instrument approved for use in the State of Washington. In approximately 2004, this State purchased several compact versions of the machine, but there were very few differences between the two.

In 220 police depa [...]

Home Court Advantage: Local Attorneys vs. Out of the Area Attorneys

info@adonaimedia.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Whether you are a sports fan or not, everyone is familiar with the phrase, “Home Court Advantage” and the benefits that coincide with the team that has this luxury. “Home Court Advantage” results in teams staying relaxed, comfortable and confident as they are accustomed to their surroundings. Athletes are able to maintain the perfect routine as they prepare for the big game; they are able to avoid tiresome travel, sleep in their own bed, remain focused and ultimately play the game on a court [...]

Drive Sober, Get Nailed

steven@wblawfirm.com — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0100

We have all seen the commercials. “Drive hammered, get nailed,” the stern-voiced trooper announces. Or the one where the driver is literally sitting in a car full of beer which pours out of the window when the police officer approaches to ask the driver if he has been drinking. And you cannot drive down a highway without seeing a sign warning, “Legal Limit .08.” So if you are not hammered, and are not above the legal .08 limit, you are safe, right?

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