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    • Criminal Defense,  
    • Driving While License Suspended
    Driving While License Suspended in Washington State

    DWLS Charges in Washington State 

    What Is DWLIS in the 3rd Degree? 

    Driving While License Suspended in the 3rd Degree is charged when someone is caught driving with a suspended license, but their license is eligible to be reinstated. This is different from driving while license suspended in the 2nd degree and 1st degree where a person is not eligible to reinstate their license. Third degree suspensions most commonly happen when someone has unpaid court costs or has missed a court hearing. There are a number of other, less common, reasons for a third degree suspension as well. The Department of Licensing (DOL) will mail out a notice of suspension which can be lifted once the underlying cause is cleared up. There was a 2021 Washington Court ruling that invalidated some suspensions for failure to pay or appear on traffic infraction cases so you should discuss your particular suspension details with your attorney.

    The crime of Driving While License Suspended in the 3rd degree is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

    DWLS 2 Charges 

    Driving While License Suspended in the 2nd Degree can be charged when someone is caught driving with a suspended license at a time when the license is not eligible to be reinstated. This could occur if someone has a mandatory license suspension related to a criminal traffic charge, such as a DUI.

    This crime is a gross misdemeanor and has a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. A conviction for DWLS2 also carries its own 1-year license suspension.

    Is DWLS 1 a Gross Misdemeanor in Washington State? 

    Driving While License Suspended in the 1st Degree is charged when someone who is considered a habitual traffic offender is caught driving with a suspended license that is not eligible to be reinstated. DOL will classify persons as habitual traffic offenders if they have 3 convictions for certain driving crimes in 5 years or if they have committed findings for 20 or more traffic infractions in 5 years.

    This crime is a gross misdemeanor and has a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. However, if a person is convicted of this crime, there are mandatory minimum penalties as follows:

    • For a first-time conviction of this crime, a minimum sentence of 10-days imprisonment must be imposed and cannot be suspended or deferred.
    • For a second conviction of this crime, a minimum sentence of 90-days imprisonment must be imposed and cannot be suspended or deferred.
    • For a third or subsequent conviction of this crime, a minimum sentence of 180-days imprisonment must be imposed and cannot be suspended or deferred.
    • A person who is convicted of this crime for the first time, but also has been convicted of an alcohol or drug-related crime arising from the same event, could face a minimum 90-day jail sentence that cannot be suspended or deferred.

    Contact an Attorney to Represent You

    If you have been arrested or charged with Driving While License Suspended, there is still hope. You and your attorney can do things to try to navigate this situation. To learn more, give our office a call at (425) 224-7075. We will listen to you, answer your questions, ease your stress, and resolve your case.

    Owner and principal attorney Lance Fryrear of The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear has defended the accused in Lynnwood and throughout Washington for the past 20 years. We will do everything we can to help and support you through this process.

    Contact us today to learn more!

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    • Assault,  
    • Criminal Defense,  
    • Domestic Violence
    Domestic Violence Assault in the 4th Degree in Washington State

    What Is 4th Degree Domestic Violence Assault in Washington State? 

    Domestic Violence Assault in the 4th degree (DV Assault 4) is the most common domestic violence charge in Washington State. It is defined by RCW 9A.36.041 and describes any unwanted touching against a family or household member as assault—persons qualify as a family or household member if they are:

    • Spouses or former spouses
    • Intimate partners
    • Domestic partners or former domestic partners
    • Persons who have a child in common, regardless of whether they were married or lived together at any time
    • Persons aged sixteen or older who are currently residing together or people who have resided together in the past and have dated or are currently dating
    • Family members
    • Persons aged sixteen or older who are in a dating relationship or have dated in the past

    This crime is a gross misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of up to 364 days in jail and/or a $5000 fine.

    If a DV assault involved a weapon or resulted in serious bodily harm such as a broken bone and/or stitches, then it would likely be charged as Domestic Violence Assault in the 2nd Degree, which is a class B felony and carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.

    DV Assault Penalties in Washington State

    Domestic violence assault is a serious crime and can carry specific penalties in Washington State. If the police are called to an incident and believe that any unwanted touching has occurred in the last 4 hours, then they are required by state law to arrest the person they believe to be the “primary aggressor”. If charged with domestic violence assault in the 2nd degree, you could lose your ability to freely travel outside of the state.

    Furthermore, the judge will likely issue a No Contact Order, which prohibits any contact between the involved parties. This can also prevent the defendant from returning home, which would require them to find alternate lodging. The order can be in place for up to 5 years. The court will also issue an order to surrender any firearms and the defendant will not be allowed to possess or own any firearms during the duration of the matter. If they have any firearms, they are obligated to surrender them to the police or they could be charged with a new crime.

    Washington also has a mandatory loss of firearm rights if convicted of this crime. There are ways you can apply to restore your right to own a firearm, but it can be a difficult process that takes years.

    Due to the serious, life-altering consequences of a DV Assault 4 charge, we recommend contacting a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney immediately after your arrest.

    Contact Us for Help in Your DV Assault 4 Case

    It is not a hopeless situation if you have been charged with domestic violence assault. There are things you and your attorney can do to try to get through this situation as easily as possible. If you have been arrested or investigated for domestic violence assault, call our office or contact us online. We will listen to you, answer your questions, ease your stress, and work tirelessly to resolve your case.

    Owner and principal attorney Lance Fryrear of The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear has defended the accused in Lynnwood and throughout Washington for the past 20 years. We will be sensitive and careful every step of the way, doing everything we can to help and support you.

    Give us a call at (425) 224-7075 to learn more!

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    • Criminal Defense,  
    • Disorderly Conduct
    What Are Disorderly Conduct Crimes?

    Disorderly Conduct in Washington State

    Disorderly conduct laws are in place to protect the public from being disturbed by obnoxious or unruly behavior, so there are several situations in which a person can be charged with this crime. Under Washington State Law RCW 9A.84.020, a person can be charged with disorderly conduct for any of the following actions:

    • Using abusive language that creates a risk of assault
    • Disrupting any lawful assembly or meeting
    • Intentionally obstructing traffic without authority
    • Intentionally engaging in disruptive behavior, such as fighting or making loud noises, within 500 feet of a funeral, burial, viewing, funeral procession, or memorial service

    Disorderly conduct is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

    How is Disorderly Conduct Different from Harassment?

    A similar crime to disorderly conduct is harassment. According to RCW 9A.46.020, one of the ways for a person to be guilty of harassment is that they must knowingly threaten to cause bodily injury immediately or in the future to the person threatened.

    The difference between the two charges is that a person engaging in disorderly conduct intentionally creates the possibility of an assault by using abusive words, whereas harassment results from a person specifically threatening to harm another.

    Discerning whether a crime should be charged as disorderly conduct or harassment can be difficult. Harassment is a gross misdemeanor and carries a larger maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine. Regardless, it is best to avoid any type of altercation with another person and to avoid causing a public disturbance.

    Contact Us for Assistance in Your Disorderly Conduct Case

    If you have been charged with disorderly conduct, it is not a hopeless situation. There are things you and your attorney can do to try to get through this situation as easily as possible. If you have been arrested or investigated for disorderly conduct, give our office a call at (425) 224-7075. We will listen to you, answer your questions, ease your stress, and resolve your case.

    Owner and principal attorney Lance Fryrear of The Law Offices of Lance Fryrear has defended the accused in Lynnwood and throughout Washington for the past 20 years. We will be sensitive and careful every step of the way, doing everything we can to help and support you.

    Give us a call at (425) 224-7075 to learn more!

    Read More