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Disclaimer: The Domestic Violence Defense, DV, Alcohol, Assault, or other defense information presented at this site should not be considered formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer or attorney client relationship. Any results set forth here were dependent on the facts of that case and the results will differ from case to case. Please contact a Washington State domestic violence lawyer or attorney for a free initial consultation. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the State of Washington.
My DV defense law firm serves the following Western Washington communities, among others: Snohomish County, King County, Skagit County, Alderwood, Arlington, Bellingham, Bothell, Brier, Camino Island, Darrington, Edgewood, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Tulalip, Mukilteo, Silvana, Smokey Point, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan, Woodway, Anacortes, Bow, Burlington, Clearlake, Concrete, Hamilton, La Conner, Lyman, Marbelmount, Mount Vernon, Sedro Wooley, Bellevue, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Mercer Island, Redmond, Seattle, Shoreline, Woodinville.
I also serve the following Zip Codes: 98011, 98012, 98020, 98021, 98026, 98033, 98034, 98036, 98037, 98043, 98046, 98052, 98072, 98082, 98087, 98201, 98203, 98204, 98205, 98206, 98207, 98208, 98213, 98223, 98241, 98251, 98252, 98256, 98258, 98259, 98270, 98271, 98272, 98273, 98274, 98275, 98287, 98290, 98291, 98292, 98293, 98294, 98296
Disclaimer: The Domestic Violence Defense, DV, Alcohol, Assault, or other defense information presented at this site should not be considered formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer or attorney client relationship. Any results set forth here were dependent on the facts of that case and the results will differ from case to case. Please contact a Washington State domestic violence lawyer or attorney for a free initial consultation. This web site is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the State of Washington.
My DV defense law firm serves the following Western Washington communities, among others: Snohomish County, King County, Skagit County, Alderwood, Arlington, Bellingham, Bothell, Brier, Camino Island, Darrington, Edgewood, Edmonds, Everett, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Index, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Tulalip, Mukilteo, Silvana, Smokey Point, Snohomish, Stanwood, Sultan, Woodway, Anacortes, Bow, Burlington, Clearlake, Concrete, Hamilton, La Conner, Lyman, Marbelmount, Mount Vernon, Sedro Wooley, Bellevue, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Mercer Island, Redmond, Seattle, Shoreline, Woodinville.
I also serve the following Zip Codes: 98011, 98012, 98020, 98021, 98026, 98033, 98034, 98036, 98037, 98043, 98046, 98052, 98072, 98082, 98087, 98201, 98203, 98204, 98205, 98206, 98207, 98208, 98213, 98223, 98241, 98251, 98252, 98256, 98258, 98259, 98270, 98271, 98272, 98273, 98274, 98275, 98287, 98290, 98291, 98292, 98293, 98294, 98296
Locations
Mailing:
The Cahoon Law Office
3405 - 172nd Street NE, #5-242
Arlington, WA 98223
Meetings (appt. Only)
144 Railroad Ave.
Edmonds, WA 98026
The Cahoon Law Office
3405 - 172nd Street NE, #5-242
Arlington, WA 98223
Meetings (appt. Only)
144 Railroad Ave.
Edmonds, WA 98026
Payments
HOME
ATTORNEY PROFILE
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
TOP DV QUESTIONS
WAYS TO FIGHT YOUR
DV CHARGE
PLEADING GUILTY
ATTORNEY PROFILE
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
TOP DV QUESTIONS
WAYS TO FIGHT YOUR
DV CHARGE
PLEADING GUILTY
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Experienced and Aggressive Criminal Defense
If the victim calls the Prosecutor and says he or she does not want to prosecute, will that be the end of the case? No. In Washington State, it s not the victim that "presses charges." Rather the alleged victim is just a witness to a crime and the Prosecutor has the sole discretion on whether or not to bring charges. The fact that the victim does not want to press charges does not control what the Prosecutor s Office does with the case.
If a No Contact Order was issued, can I have contact with the protected person when they invite the contact? No. A No Contact Order means NO CONTACT even if that contact is invited. I see a lot of people get into trouble because they allowed themselves to disregard the NCO. The most common scenario I see is this: Two people are together. Something happens and a No Contact Order slams into place. People, being people, want to work out whatever went wrong. The victim contacts the defendant and convinces them to have contact, so they can work it out. The next thing that happens is the happy couple gets into a car to celebrate their new found understanding and someone pulls a slow and go at a stop sign (or some other minor traffic infraction. When the officer runs the driver s information the NCO pops up and the Defendant goes to jail where he or she is now facing an additional criminal charge. Even if the underlying DV charge is dismissed the violation of the NCO is a separate crime and can be MUCH more difficult to defend against.
If the Judge issued a No Contact Order preventing me from going home, how do I get my belongings and where do I live? Most Courts will allow a one time trip home, called a civil standby. The Court will require that an officer accompany you and you will only be allowed to take a few minor possessions, like clothing. You will have to schedule this with law enforcement on your own. Hopefully, you have someone you can stay with as the Court will not care about the financial burden caused by an extended hotel stay.
I didn t hit anyone, so how can this be a Domestic Violence crime? There is no independent crime of "Domestic Violence." Rather, DV is a tag that is placed on other crimes, like Assault or Harassment, indicating a family or household relationship between the parties involved. Click here for a more complete list of DV Crimes.
Since there was no firearm used, threatened or even contemplated, why will I lose my right to possess firearms if I am convicted? In every other type of non-felony crime, the punishment must be rationally related to the crime committed. In the case of Domestic Violence, the government has simply decided to take your right to possess firearms without requiring some connection between the crime and the punishment. This is a lifelong ban - unless you can get a Superior Court judge to reinstate that right.
If a No Contact Order was issued, can I have contact with the protected person when they invite the contact? No. A No Contact Order means NO CONTACT even if that contact is invited. I see a lot of people get into trouble because they allowed themselves to disregard the NCO. The most common scenario I see is this: Two people are together. Something happens and a No Contact Order slams into place. People, being people, want to work out whatever went wrong. The victim contacts the defendant and convinces them to have contact, so they can work it out. The next thing that happens is the happy couple gets into a car to celebrate their new found understanding and someone pulls a slow and go at a stop sign (or some other minor traffic infraction. When the officer runs the driver s information the NCO pops up and the Defendant goes to jail where he or she is now facing an additional criminal charge. Even if the underlying DV charge is dismissed the violation of the NCO is a separate crime and can be MUCH more difficult to defend against.
If the Judge issued a No Contact Order preventing me from going home, how do I get my belongings and where do I live? Most Courts will allow a one time trip home, called a civil standby. The Court will require that an officer accompany you and you will only be allowed to take a few minor possessions, like clothing. You will have to schedule this with law enforcement on your own. Hopefully, you have someone you can stay with as the Court will not care about the financial burden caused by an extended hotel stay.
I didn t hit anyone, so how can this be a Domestic Violence crime? There is no independent crime of "Domestic Violence." Rather, DV is a tag that is placed on other crimes, like Assault or Harassment, indicating a family or household relationship between the parties involved. Click here for a more complete list of DV Crimes.
Since there was no firearm used, threatened or even contemplated, why will I lose my right to possess firearms if I am convicted? In every other type of non-felony crime, the punishment must be rationally related to the crime committed. In the case of Domestic Violence, the government has simply decided to take your right to possess firearms without requiring some connection between the crime and the punishment. This is a lifelong ban - unless you can get a Superior Court judge to reinstate that right.