How Does a Negligent Security Claim Work?

When an individual visits a mall, store, restaurant, hotel, bar, or any other type of establishment, they typically believe that they will be safe and harm-free the entire time. However, if the owner has not taken proper measures to protect the people who visit their property and someone ends up injured or hurt, the victim…

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New Law Allows People to Sue Gun Manufacturers

With the new year come and gone, California has passed a new law that will allow for state residents, as well as tourists, to file lawsuits against gun manufacturers. With mass shootings at schools, grocery stores, nightclubs, movie theaters, and so on, this new law perhaps takes the right step in mitigating further tragedies. While…

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What Defenses Are Used in Burglary Cases in Washington State?

Burglary offenses in Washington State are felonies. That means if you’re convicted of a burglary charge, you will likely be sentenced to prison for a long time. You will have to pay large penalties. When you are released from prison, you will likely find it very difficult to find a place to live or to…

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Crimes With Unintended Consequences

There’s a wonderful new book by Amor Towles called Lincoln Highway. In the story two adolescents fight. One teenager falls backward, trips over a cable, strikes his head on a concrete block, and dies nearly two months later. The adolescent who struck the fatal blow is then sentenced to a state work farm. The warden…

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New Criminal Justice Laws Affecting Washington State in 2022

As attorneys, we always pay close attention to any new laws being passed in Washington State, especially when they can potentially affect the lives of the people we help. Nine new laws that were passed in Washington last year go into effect now, in 2022. While many of the news laws concern civil matters such…

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Criminal Justice Reforms by Progressive Prosecutors

Most county, city, and state district attorneys across Washington and the country were former prosecutors. Prosecutors represent the state by trying defendants for the crimes they’ve been charged with violating. It’s the rare exception for a public defender to be elected as a district attorney. Yet, in Philadelphia, former public defender and civil rights attorney…

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Chain of Custody in Drug Cases

The police and prosecutors must account for the evidence they seize from you, or that is used against you. In drug cases, the accounting must take place from the moment any drugs are seized, and from the moment there are any chemical evaluations of the drugs. It’s only through an accounting of who handled the…

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2019 Hate Crime Statistics Release by the FBI

Many federal and state crimes are motivated by hate and prejudice. Hate crimes include offenses that are based on bias toward victims because of their race, national origin, gender, sexual preference, disability, religion, and other identity factors. These offenses usually are distinct crimes separate and apart from other offenses. Hate crimes also include standard criminal…

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