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According to the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, each and every person who is facing criminal charges has the right to legal counsel. This protection is so important that the state will provide a court-appointed attorney if the defendant is unable to afford one. If you are facing criminal charges, you need an…

Bulletproof vests and other types of body armor can help protect you against gunfire and light shrapnel from explosive devices. Many people choose to purchase bulletproof vests as personal safety devices, but some states do have laws that regulate their sales. In Washington, most people can purchase and use a bulletproof vest. However, those…

After an arrest in Washington, several processes will occur. Once a person is booked, the first courtroom-based proceeding that he or she will attend is arraignment. During this hearing, the judge will read the charges against the defendant and ask him or her to enter a plea. The arraignment process can be confusing, especially…

Entrapment is a common defense to criminal charges. However, presenting an opportunity to commit a crime is not the same as forcing someone to engage in criminal activity. To establish entrapment as a defense, a defendant needs evidence that shows the presence of coercion or overbearing tactics that lead to the crime being committed….

Many people believe that amnesia, a medical condition involving memory loss, is a common and viable defense to criminal charges. However, not remembering a crime is not always the same as being innocent.  While a person must have the mental capacity to commit a crime, amnesia on its own is not enough to indicate…

The mental capacity of a defendant plays a major role in a criminal case. While many states treat incapacitated individuals the same as mentally competent ones, others consider whether the defendant’s insanity could have led to the crime that took place. In Washington, if a person faces conviction for a crime and successfully proves…