Tacoma Criminal Lawyers

Experienced Washington State Criminal Defense.

Don’t simply forfeit your freedom or your legal rights without a fight.  A criminal arrest is NOT a conviction.

Our criminal defense lawyers can help!

Having to face criminal charges is always stressful.  This is especially true if the allegations against you are false.  If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Tacoma, WA, or elsewhere in Pierce County, we’re here to help.  In most cases, it is best to speak a good criminal attorney as soon as possible.

It is important for you to understand that you have very specific legal rights here in Washington State.  Your state and federal statutory and constitutional rights must be properly exercised or they are essentially deemed waived. After learning more about the specific circumstances of your case, we will offer you our legal opinion and discuss options.

We are experienced and affordable Tacoma criminal defense attorneys.  While many people are aware of their state and federal protections, they often fail to properly exercise them.  This happens for many reasons, but often because people erroneously believe that if they fully cooperate with law enforcement, things will go much better for them in court.  Regrettably, this is often not the case.  In fact, just the opposite is often true.

In our experience, when the police want to interview you, they are simply looking for incriminating evidence.  We strongly advise any potential clients to have an attorney present with them during this interview, even it’s one from a different firm.

A good Tacoma criminal lawyer will get between you and the state.  Think of yourself in a wild brush fire.  We’re the firefighter who comes in and wraps you in a fire-proof blanket until the firestorm passes.  Almost all criminal cases involve the state proving several elements.  We will help you to understand how the law applies to the specific facts and circumstances involved in your case.  We will also guide you through the Pierce County criminal process if charges are filed.

If the allegations against you are charged as one or more felonies, then you will be required to appear in the Pierce County Superior Court.  The Superior Court Clerk’s page is an excellent resource, and you will also find helpful information on the Court’s “Criminal Questions” page.  If, however, you are charged with a misdemeanor by the county, you will be ordered to appear in the Pierce County District Court.  And, finally, if you were arrested by the City of Tacoma Police, you most likely be ordered to appear in the Tacoma Municipal Court.

Our criminal lawyers handle all Municipal Court and District Court cases, as well as many Superior Court cases.  If you are worried about your future and are facing criminal allegations, you should understand your legal rights, including how the law applies given the specific facts and circumstances of your case.

It’s important to exercise your legal rights.

In the chaos that often accompanies an arrest, it’s hard to think clearly about exercising your legal rights.  As noted above, many Pierce County citizens know that they have rights when they are being arrested or charged with a crime. Surprisingly, however, many people chose to essentially forfeit their state and federal statutory and constitutional protections both before and after they are arrested or charged with a crime.

Sadly, people seeking the advice of our Tacoma criminal lawyers often call us after they have already plead guilty or accepted some other resolution to their case and believe that they have made a mistake.  Often, they tell us that they felt pressured into accepting a resolution that they did not believe was fair or appropriate.

Unfortunately, by this time, it is often extremely difficult for us to assist them because their case has already been resolved.  And, in Washington State, undoing a guilty plea can be very complex.  In nearly every possible instance, it best to retain an experienced Tacoma criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.

This allows your criminal lawyer to explore all of your options and assist you in making a truly informed decision about how you should proceed.  It also allows your lawyer to thoroughly review all of the evidence and properly investigate the matter.  We handle most criminal charges, including the following:

• Tacoma Theft
• Tacoma Assault
• Tacoma Domestic Violence
• Tacoma Criminal Trespass
• Tacoma DUI – Drunk Driving
• Tacoma MIP – Minor in Possession
• Tacoma Negligent Driving
• Tacoma Reckless Driving
• Our Legal Services – Tacoma Criminal Defense

The city or the state has the burden of proving their case in every criminal matter.  You should make them do it.

In all Tacoma Municipal and Pierce County criminal cases, the city or the county is required to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. This is a substantial burden. In many cases, you may also have one or more legal defenses available to you. But these statutory defenses must be properly raised and argued.

All defendants have the right to an attorney at all court hearings. And, it is important that you have a lawyer by your side at all criminal proceedings. This is true even if you do not believe that the offense with which you have been charged is a serious one, and it is especially true if you believe that you have done nothing wrong and are innocent.

If you are a criminal defendant here in Tacoma or anywhere in Pierce County, we can help.  We know the criminal laws of Washington State. We know the courts.  And we know how to protect your rights.

How do I know if I’m being charged with a felony or a misdemeanor?

If you have been cited to appear in the Tacoma Municipal Court, a Pierce County District Court or another city court for a criminal matter, you are either being charged with a misdemeanor or a gross misdemeanor. These courts do not have jurisdiction to hear felony cases.  We also handle all Pierce County city court cases.

Our criminal lawyers fight charges in the following courts:

Bonney Lake Municipal Court
Buckley Municipal Court
Fife Municipal Court
Gig Harbor Municipal Court
Lakewood Municipal Court
Milton Municipal Court
Puyallup Municipal Court
Sumner Municipal Court
Tacoma Municipal Court

If you have been ordered to appear in Pierce County Superior Court, you are being charged with one or more felonies.  You may also be facing additional misdemeanor charges.  If you have questions about your charges, we can also review your case online and answer all of your questions so long as you have already been charged with a crime.  We can help you find your next court, as well as let you know what to expect at the hearing.

If you are charged with a misdemeanor, you are facing a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.  If you are charged with a gross misdemeanor, you are facing a maximum penalty of 365 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.  Most misdemeanors, with a few exceptions for charges such as DUI or Possession of Marijuana, do not carry a mandatory jail sentence. But a judge can sentence you up to the maximum if he or she believes that it is warranted.

From our centrally located Pierce County offices in downtown Tacoma, we assist clients in Puyallup, Fife, Lakewood, University Place, Bonney Lake, Spanaway, Orting, Buckley, Eatonville, Fircrest, Parkland, Graham, Gig Harbor, Edgewood, and Pacific, as well as all other Pierce County cities.

If you are facing a criminal charge, you don’t have to do it alone. We understand the criminal laws of Tacoma and WA State.  Let us protect you and your rights.

Our Tacoma criminal attorneys handle all Pierce County Municipal and all Pierce County District Court criminal matters.  If you need help with any of the following, please call our offices for a free consultation.

• Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants charges (DUI/DWI/Drunk Driving)
• Minor Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (Minor DUI/Minor DWI/Minor Drunk Driving)
• Shoplifting charges
• Hit & Run Attended charges
• Hit & Run Unattended charges
• Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) charges
• Minor in Possession of Alcohol charges
• Disorderly Conduct charges
• Possession of Marijuana charges
• Tacoma Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charges
• Reckless Driving charges
• Negligent Driving charges
• Attempting to Elude a Police Officer charges
• Reckless Endangerment charges
• Assault IV charges
• Assault IV – Domestic Violence charges
• Harassment charges
• Resisting Arrest charges
• Harassment – Domestic Violence charges
• Malicious Mischief charges
• Malicious Mischief – Domestic Violence charges
• Protection and No Contact Order Violations charges
• All Degrees of Theft (Shoplifting) charges
• Criminal Trespass charges
• Obstructing a Police Officer charges
• Fraud and Forgery Charges charges
• Making a False Statement charges
• Prostitution charges
• Solicitation of a Prostitute charges
• Vehicle Prowling charges
• Misdemeanors and Gross Misdemeanors
• Many Pierce County and Tacoma felony matters