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You knew your relationship was not going well, but you never expected your partner would accuse you of domestic violence. Many relations have been strained recently, with the pressure of spending so much time indoors with the same people. Health worries, and financial worries, with many losing jobs, has increased that pressure for many. Domestic violence is a collective term…

If you’ve been accused of theft, you’re probably looking into your defense options. It may be simple if you maintain that you didn’t do it or you have an alibi. But it can get a bit more complicated than that. For instance, what if you were intoxicated at the time? You went to a bar, you had a bit too…

The eyewitness is often treated as if they are an authority on a criminal event. If they show up in court and testify that they saw the defendant commit the crime, the jury may just assume that the eyewitness — who is unconnected to the event and has no reason to lie — is correct. However, studies show that’s a…

Domestic violence situations are often difficult for law enforcement officers to assess. Unlike other crimes, which may include someone intentionally committing a crime and a victim, domestic violence situations can involve two people who commit crimes against one another. When officers respond to a call made by one of those individuals or by a neighbor concerned because of the noise…

You’re on your way home from dinner, and a police officer pulls you over. You were tired, so you may have drifted a little close to the centerline, but you certainly weren’t driving erratically. Just the same, the officer asks if you’ve been drinking, and you admit that you had a glass of wine earlier with your food. Big mistake.…

When you think of DUI charges, you might think about jail time or fines. What you might not consider are all the ways that a DUI can affect you outside court. Issues such as marital problems, problems with your job, higher insurance costs and financial difficulties can all make your DUI even more difficult to deal with. Of the problems…

Shoplifting is a form of theft that occurs only in a retail business. In many states, shoplifting, also known as retail fraud, it has its own special section of the criminal code that differentiates it from other theft offenses. However, Washington law does not differentiate between theft in a retail environment and other forms of theft. Someone can wind up charged with…

For someone with no previous criminal record, getting swept up in an impaired driving enforcement effort could be incredibly stressful and frightening. Getting arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) will typically mean spending a night in jail. It also means facing criminal charges that carry a range of potential consequences. As someone unfamiliar with the inner workings of the…

Is the fact that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities have taken to prowling around courthouses (or in them) in search of potential undocumented immigrants keeping people from seeking justice? Senator Lisa Wellman and other advocates think so — and a bill is now being considered that will stop federal immigration agents from making arrests within a mile of any Washington courthouse.…

In Washington State, it is a crime to get in the way of someone who is trying to report domestic violence, at least in certain situations. It is easy enough to imagine cases where stopping somebody from calling the police about domestic violence should be okay, such as blocking a friend’s April Fools’ Day prank. More seriously, after a jury…

If you drive about 300 miles east of Port Orchard, you will arrive in Spokane County. According to a recent news report, officials there are puzzled by a significant increase in the number of people asking for legal protection orders because of domestic violence. Authorities say the number of people seeking legal protection orders has surged to more than 500 a…

From Port Orchard to Pensacola and from Phoenix to Peoria – and everywhere in between – more than a million people in the U.S. are arrested for drunk driving each year. Most of those drivers are asked to blow into a device that tests their breath to determine their level of impairment. If you blow into the machine, it is likely to…

As retailers continue to explore methods to reduce payroll while keeping inventory shrinkage under control, the latest innovation might accomplish one goal while failing at the second. The self-checkout system is a technological innovation you’ve likely seen in retail stores both large and small. Banks of these units are generally monitored by video surveillance or a roaming attendant or both.…