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The Law Office of Chris Van Vechten
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Keeping Your Driver’s License

December 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Criminal Defense Law Blog, Law Enforcement and Police Officers/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

There are many crimes that can cost you not only your freedom, future and finances but also your privilege to drive. These offenses are largely outlined in RCW 46.20.285, which was recently updated and now reads as follows…

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Warrantless Seizures and Race

July 6, 2022/0 Comments/in Criminal Defense Law Blog, Law Enforcement and Police Officers/by Chris Van Vechten

The Washington State Supreme Court recently declared that whether or not a person has been seized by a police officer may depend on what race the defendant happens to be.

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photo - gunsligner with a revolver

Is Washington’s Unlawful Possession of a Firearm Statute Constitutional?

August 10, 2021/0 Comments/in 2nd Amendment, Criminal Defense Law Blog/by Chris Van Vechten

Washington’s unlawful possession of a firearm statutes are unconstitutional as they constitute a due process violation.  Defense attorneys representing those accused of unlawful possession of a firearm should move to dismiss the charges and – if nothing else – preserve the issue for appeal.

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Overturn, expunge, vacate your drug conviction

Overturn Your Conviction!

May 13, 2021/0 Comments/in Criminal Defense Law Blog, Overturning Convictions/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

New laws make it easier to overturn your conviction! I was recently retained by an individual to vacate 11 separate convictions from his record that are dispersed across 8 jurisdictions and concern conduct spanning from 1995 to 2018 – all of which, as soon as the courts get through the backlogs created by the chaos of 2020 and these decisions, will be vacated!

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Illustration of a police badge

When Is It Legal To Use Force Against A Police Officer?

April 21, 2021/in Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Law Blog, Law Enforcement and Police Officers, Questions/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

Historically, a suspect had the right to resist an unlawful arrest by a police officer so long as the force applied was proportional to the threat presented.

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Crying Child

How To Beat Speeding Tickets or Moving Violations

February 10, 2021/0 Comments/in Criminal Defense Law Blog, Moving Violations/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

Defending against speeding tickets and moving violations can be very dry and technical. A prosecutor or intern may appear in court to prosecute the infraction. Your chances of success dramatically increase if you are represented by a lawyer.

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Should I Just Get A Public Defender?

February 4, 2021/0 Comments/in Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense Law Blog, Questions/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

If you were recently arrested or even arraigned, the decision of whether to keep your public defender or retain private counsel is the most important choice you will make going forward – regardless of whether your ultimate goal is to prove your innocence at trial, or negotiate a plea deal in advance.

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The Jury - oil painting by John Morgan

Trial by Jury Must Survive the Pandemic

May 30, 2020/in Civil Rights and the United States Constitution, Criminal Defense Law Blog/by Law Office of Chris Van Vechten

On March 20, 2020, the Supreme Court of the State of Washington suspended the right to trial by jury until after April 24, 2020. Their reasons for doing so…

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A basket of hand soaps with the Law Office of Chris Van Vechten logo thereon

Law Office of Chris Van Vechten Criminal Defense Hand Soaps: Designed for a clean getaway!

March 3, 2020/in COVID-19 and Criminal Defense Law, Criminal Defense Law Blog/by Chris Van Vechten

The CDC recommends thorough and regular hand washing as the primary step individuals can take to protect themselves and their families from the spread of airborne diseases like COVID-19.

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https://soundlawyering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/law-office-chris-van-vechten-criminal-defense-laywer-hand-soap-710x529-1.jpg 529 710 Chris Van Vechten https://soundlawyering.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/logo-law-office-of-chris-van-vechten-01-300x300.jpg Chris Van Vechten2020-03-03 22:08:022021-03-17 15:00:16Law Office of Chris Van Vechten Criminal Defense Hand Soaps: Designed for a clean getaway!
The label from a NIK narcotics identification system test used by law enforcement

This drug test can’t tell the difference between menstrual cramp medication and crack cocaine. Police use it to determine probable cause anyway.

February 25, 2020/in Controlled Substances, Possession/by Chris Van Vechten

Police use inaccurate and confusing narcotics identification tests to determine probable cause. We win criminal defense cases for our clients when they do.

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https://soundlawyering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/NIK-narcotics-identification-system-law-office-of-chris-van-vechten-criminal-defense-attorney-721x407-1.jpg 407 721 Chris Van Vechten https://soundlawyering.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/logo-law-office-of-chris-van-vechten-01-300x300.jpg Chris Van Vechten2020-02-25 13:37:572021-03-17 15:23:29This drug test can’t tell the difference between menstrual cramp medication and crack cocaine. Police use it to determine probable cause anyway.
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Tacoma, Washington 98405


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Criminal Defense Law

The Law Office of Chris Van Vechten is a Criminal Defense Law Office Serving:

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Olympia and all of Thurston County

Lacey . Tumwater . Yelm

Bremerton and all of Kitsap County

Bainbridge Island . Port Orchard . Poulsbo

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