Kirkland DUI Defense Attorney

A DUI arrest is a legal matter that should not be taken lightly. Aside from the natural stress and embarrassment caused by the event, the arrest is usually followed by two additional and separate legal actions. These legal actions are set into motion by the State of Washington, aimed at any individuals who have been arrested for a DUI. The State of Washington will first attempt to have the driver’s license suspended, and secondly, they will initiate the process of dealing with the legal justice system.

Our Office Location

Leyba Defense PLLC –
Seattle Criminal Defense Attorney
1700 7th Ave #2100, Seattle, WA 98101

Office: 206.429.4968
Cell: 206.953.2145
Fax: 206.547.5997

matthew@leyba-defense.com

Our Legal Services

• Criminal Defense
• Physical Control Arrest
• BUI Arrest
• Marijuana DUI Arrest
• DUI Deferred Prosecution
• Reckless Driving
• Negligent Driving

Primary Areas of Service

• Bellevue
• Renton
• Redmond
• Sammamish
• Bothell
• Issaquah
• North Bend
• Bainbridge Island
• Capitol Hill
• Kent
• Seattle
• Kent

Contesting the state’s motion to suspend a driver’s license is not an easy task. In addition to stringent form submission deadlines and payments, there are many other qualifiers that are assessed in contesting the suspension. These qualifiers include any prior offenses, the blood alcohol level recorded at the time of the arrest, and any insurance relevant to the incident. Through working with a Kirkland DUI defense lawyer, you will be able to pinpoint ways to circumvent the suspension and, if this is unavoidable, the defense lawyer will work with you to find ways that the impact of the suspension can be mitigated.

When you elect to contest your license suspension, a hearing will be held (either by phone or in person) within 60 days of the date that you were arrested for the DUI. For this hearing, you will have an assigned hearing officer who will assess the following criteria:

• Did the officer have sufficient, reasonable grounds for stopping you?
• Were you placed under a lawful arrest?
• Were you read your rights upon arrest?
• Did your blood alcohol level exceed the legal limit, or did you refuse the breath test?

Generally, this hearing will occur approximately 60 days following the arrest. Once the hearing has concluded, you can expect a written ruling issued by the DOL (department of licensing) hearing examiner which will either grant or dismiss the suspension. Depending on who the hearing examiner is and the result of the final ruling, this part of the process may take 2-4 weeks.

Working with a Kirkland DUI defense lawyer ensures the best strategies for avoiding a license suspension, which can be a heavy disruption to one’s life.

When you receive a formal charge of a DUI, a court date will be assigned to you in which the court will read the charges to you, and you will enter a plea through the appropriate channel. Depending on the factors of the DUI, there may be several other considerations, such as bail or other conditions of release, suggested by the court. At the end of this session, the court will schedule an additional DUI hearing. In this pretrial hearing, you will be able to plead guilty, accept an offered plea deal, or you can remain firm that you are not guilty and take your case to a full-fledged trial.

When you are formally charged with a DUI, your first court date is assigned either by a summons issued in the mail or written on the ticket that was issued at the moment of your arrest. You can use these tools to find your next court date & court location.

After receiving a DUI arrest in the City of Kirkland, the arraignment will usually take place within a few days, and you will receive notice from the arresting officer at the time of the arrest. If you are arrested for a DUI in King County by a Washington State Patrol Trooper or King County Sheriff, you will immediately receive notice of your court date. These dates are usually 1-3 months after the date of the arrest.

This is a difficult process to navigate that can have severe real life consequences. A Kirkland DUI defense attorney will be an ally that can provide you effective counselling on your available options, propose solutions that are ideal, and offer any further assistance that can help you as you prepare your case for trial.

If you have recently been arrested for a DUI, a Kirkland drunk driving attorney will be a great asset in making it through this trying legal situation. An experienced, qualified, and highly-successful Kirkland drunk driving attorney will be instrumental in building a reliable defense to contest the DUI charge with success. Also able to assist in preventing or handling a license suspension, a drunk driving lawyer can collect and compile reliable, substantial evidence that will build a strong defense to be presented in court with absolute confidence.

Marijuana DUI’s are increasing in frequency. The process of receiving a marijuana DUI is quite similar to the process involved in a standard alcohol DUI; both present potential charges as well as license suspensions. Legal penalty and consequence for a Kirkland marijuana DUI usually includes charges ranging from 1 to 364 days in jail, hefty fines, suspension of the driver’s license, probation for 5 years, and an assessment to determine any chemical dependency. A Kirkland marijuana DUI defense attorney is able to clarify and convey the charges against you, present your available options, put together evidence, and appear to your defense in court.

Matthew Leyba is a devoted, experienced, and very successful DUI defense attorney in Kirkland, WA. He works precisely and carefully to compile evidence and arrange cases, and he always takes special care to communicate with his clients. His high level of experience and organization allows him to comfortably defend his clients in court with absolute confidence. For more information, or to schedule a free, 60-minute consultation with Matthew Leyba, contact him by giving Leyba Defense a call, or filling out our contact form.