It is no surprise that drinking often accompanies celebrations in Washington State. When you are underage, you may think little of the issue of drinking. You want to go out, have a good time and worry little about anything else. What happens if the police catch you...
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Tacoma Criminal Defense Law Blog
Guilty pleas bring tax zapper software users lesser sentences
Two owners of a popular Washington restaurant chain entered guilty pleas over an alleged tax evasion scheme that involved using "zapper" software. As reported by U.S. News & World Report, the accused couple pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the...
License reinstatement following vehicular homicide conviction
Revocation of your driver's license is typically part of the penalty for a conviction on charges of vehicular homicide related to DUI. However, this does not necessarily mean that you lose your license forever and can never drive again. Eventually, it may be possible...
Underage DUI charges can shatter a teen’s life
Underage drunk driving charges can be very difficult cases to manage for a host of reasons. Sometimes, these cases arise even though a young driver had an extremely minute amount of alcohol in their system. Thanks to zero-tolerance laws, any amount of alcohol in a...
Sex offender registration level designations
For the past several decades, states all across the country, including Washington State, have created and updated programs that require defendants convicted of specific sexual offenses to register as designated sex offenders. The requirement to register as a sex...
What should I do if accused of domestic violence?
While being accused of any crime in Washington state is a big deal, there are few crimes that carry the weight of domestic violence. If you find yourself in a position where you are being falsely accused of domestic violence, it is important to know the steps...
How are fraudulent insurance claims identified?
While the majority of insurance claims filed are legitimate, insurance companies are constantly on the lookout for fraudulent claims. To help identify them, the National Insurance Crime Bureau created a list of suspicious loss indicators, which investigators look for...
The effects of distracted driving on a criminal case
Distracted driving may take many forms in Washington state. Anything that takes a driver's attention away from the road is a distraction and causes distracted driving. However, the biggest issue of this kind, according to the Insurance Information Institute, is...
Can a DUI affect your scholarship?
If you get into a DUI-related incident in Tacoma, could your scholarship be affected? Today, we at the Law Office of Michael Austin Stewart examine just how big of an impact a potential DUI conviction could have on your future as a student and your subsequent career....
3 problems with eyewitnesses
Eyewitnesses were once thought to be the best type of evidence to present in a courtroom. However, this is no longer true. Research and history have shown that eyewitnesses are notorious for being wrong. A person may swear he or she saw someone commit a crime, when...