Article I, section 7 of the Washington Constitution protects a person from having their “home invaded, without authority of law,” which generally requires a valid warrant. There is, however, an exception to the warrant requirement when officers obtain a valid consent to search. The consent except applies only when the…
Washington law provides special protections to children in criminal investigations. Pursuant to RCW 13.40.740, which became effective January 1, 2022, a juvenile being questioned in a custodial interrogation, detained based on probable cause of involvement in criminal activity, or asked to consent to an evidentiary search can only knowingly, intelligently,…
RCW 9.94A.753(5) requires a court to order restitution when a defendant is convicted of a Washington criminal offense that results in injury or damage to or loss of property, unless there are “extraordinary circumstances.” The state must prove the damages by a preponderance of the evidence. Restitution cannot include intangible…
Under RCW 46.20.285, a Washington driver license must be revoked upon conviction of certain offenses. The statute requires the Department of Licensing to revoke the driver license when conviction of one of the listed offenses becomes final. A defendant recently challenged his judgment and sentence, arguing the court had applied…
To succeed in an entrapment defense, a Washington criminal defendant must show that the “criminal design” originated with law enforcement or someone acting under law enforcement’s direction and the defendant was induced to commit a crime he otherwise did not intend to commit. It is not sufficient for the defendant…
Young siblings sometimes scuffle, but they usually are not charged with a Washington crime as a result. A teenager recently challenged a guilty adjudication for fourth degree assault arising from an altercation with his younger sister. According to the appeals court’s opinion, which relied primarily on the juvenile court’s unchallenged…
The U.S. Supreme Court held in Caniglia v. Strom that the “community caretaking” exception to the warrant requirement did not extend to a residence. The Washington Supreme Court has recently considered application of that holding in a Washington criminal case. According to the opinion, a deputy went to a home…
Evidence obtained through an unlawful search is generally inadmissible in a Washington criminal case. Both the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Washington Constitution offer protections against unlawful searches. The Washington Constitution provides that “No person shall be disturbed in his private affairs, or his home invaded, without…
Generally, hearsay is not admissible in a Washington criminal case, unless it meets an exception. Hearsay is an out-of-court statement “offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” ER 801(c). Generally, hearsay is not admissible unless it meets a specific exception. One exception is an “excited utterance.”…
A Washington criminal defendant can raise a self-defense claim by offering some evidence that their actions occurred in circumstances of self-defense. Once the defendant meets this low burden, the burden shifts to the state to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the absence of self-defense. According to the appeals court’s opinion,…