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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…

When facing criminal charges, there are multiple defenses that a person may invoke to defend himself or herself. One common defense is an alibi, or type of defense that alleges that someone accused of a crime was somewhere else at the time of the incident. If you are facing criminal charges, providing an alibi…

In Washington, owning a gun comes with several requirements and responsibilities. For example, you cannot carry a firearm while on public school premises unless you are a military or law enforcement officer. You must register your firearm and store it in a safe, secure location. When driving, you may wonder if you can carry…

Washington imposes several laws in regard to gun ownership. To legally possess a gun in the state, you must undergo a background check and fill out important forms, such as a Federal Firearm Transaction Record.  However, some people attempt to circumvent these laws by building privately made or homemade firearms, known as “ghost guns”,…

Under the U.S. Constitution, all people charged with a crime in the United States have the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury. Jury trials are much more common in criminal defense cases, but in some cases, you may face a bench trial. Understanding the differences between jury trials and…