Vancouver, Washington, DUI Charges Defense Attorney
The first line of defense in any drunk driving case is the legality of the initial stop/seizure of the vehicle. The law requires the police to have reasonable suspicion or probable cause, but we find that they often make stops that are unjustified. This often leads to dismissal of the case or suppression of evidence that may result in a significant reduction in charges.
Even if the initial stop was lawful, the subsequent arrest and/or search of the vehicle may still be challenged. If you were unlawfully arrested, or the car was unlawfully searched, evidence subsequently obtained, such as the breath test results, for example, may be excluded. This can also dramatically affect the outcome of the case, and may lead to a significant reduction in the charge or acquittal at trial.
Finally, many drunk driving cases, especially those where the client has refused to take the breath test, are defensible. This may also lead to a significant reduction in the charge. If your case is defensible and you elect to go to trial, there is no substitute for experience.
Steve Thayer has over 30 years experience winning drunk driving trials in the district and municipal courts throughout Clark County. For this reason he has been AV* rated by Martindale-Hubbell's peer review process and appeared in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers for many years. He has also been honored by his peers as a Super Lawyer in the Washington Law & Politics Magazine Survey (which was originally conducted in 2000) in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.
*CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.
Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Ratings fall into two categories -- legal ability and general ethical standards.