Warrantless Seizures and Race

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

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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!

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

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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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How To Beat Speeding Tickets or Moving Violations

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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?

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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

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

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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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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.

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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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The Family and Offender Sentencing Alternative: Our Most Under-Utilized Tool in the War on Crime

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The Parenting Sentencing Alternative allows some nonviolent offenders the opportunity to avoid prison, or get out of prison, in order to parent their children.

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Office Location

705 South 9th Street
Suite 206
Tacoma, Washington 98405

Call or text now:

(253) 666-8987

Free Case Evaluation

Our Criminal Defense Attorney and Staff will be notified immediately.

Criminal Defense Law

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

Seattle and all of King County

Bellevue . Kent . Renton . Federal Way . Auburn . Redmond . Shoreline . Kirkland . Sammamish . Burien . Issaquah . Des Moines . SeaTac . Mercer Island . Maple Valley . Kenmore . Tukwila . Covington . Lake Forest Park

Tacoma and all of Pierce County

Tacoma . Auburn . Lakewood . Puyallup . University Place . Bonney Lake . Enumclaw . Sumner . Edgewood . Fife . DuPont . Gig Harbor . Milton . Orting . Pacific . Fircrest . Steilacoom . Buckley . Eatonville . Roy . Carbonado . Wilkeson . South Prairie

Olympia and all of Thurston County

Lacey . Tumwater . Yelm

Bremerton and all of Kitsap County

Bainbridge Island . Port Orchard . Poulsbo