Lakewood, WA Criminal Defense Lawyer

Whether you are facing your first brush with the criminal justice system or dealing with serious felony charges, a criminal conviction will affect your life for years to come. In these situations, you need a Lakewood criminal defense lawyer to protect your rights.

The Law Offices of Mark S. Treyz has spent over three decades fighting for clients throughout Pierce, King, and Thurston Counties. With extensive experience handling virtually every type of criminal charge and a proven track record of achieving reductions, amendments, and dismissals, we know how to protect your rights when everything is on the line.

Contact our sex crime defense lawyers in Tacoma, WA today for a free consultation and take the first step toward defending your future.

Common Criminal Charges in Lakewood and Pierce County

The criminal courts in Pierce County handle a wide range of offenses, from minor infractions to serious felonies. These include:

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other substances that affect your ability to drive safely
• Domestic Violence: Criminal acts committed against family members, household members, or intimate partners, including physical assault, harassment, or violations of protective orders
• Drug Possession and Distribution: Unlawful possession, manufacturing, or distribution of controlled substances, including illegal drugs, prescription medications without authorization, or drug paraphernalia
• Theft and Property Crimes: Taking someone else’s property without permission, including shoplifting, burglary, robbery, vehicle theft, and fraud-related offenses
• Assault and Aggravated Assault: Intentionally causing physical harm to another person or threatening imminent bodily harm, with aggravated charges involving weapons or serious injury
• Sex Crimes: Criminal sexual conduct such as rape, sexual assault, child molestation, indecent exposure, and possession or distribution of illegal sexual materials
• White Collar Crimes: Non-violent financial crimes such as embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and other offenses involving deception for financial gain

Why You Should Never Face Criminal Charges Without an Attorney

When you are accused of a crime, your entire life hangs in the balance. Prosecutors have unlimited resources, experienced investigators, and teams of attorneys working around the clock to build cases against defendants. You need someone equally committed to fighting for your freedom and future.

Criminal law is complex, with procedural requirements, evidence rules, and constitutional protections that require deep knowledge to navigate effectively. A single mistake in how you handle police questioning, evidence preservation, or court procedures can hurt your case before it begins. Mark S. Treyz knows the local courts, prosecutors, and legal strategies that work in Pierce County, giving you a significant advantage in building your defense.

Your attorney can identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, protect your constitutional rights, and negotiate favorable outcomes to protect your future. Without proper legal representation, you risk facing maximum penalties, permanent criminal records, and life-altering consequences that could have been avoided.

The Criminal Court Process: What to Expect from Arrest to Trial

The criminal court process begins the moment you’re arrested and continues through investigation, charging, arraignment, pre-trial motions, plea negotiations, and potentially trial. Each stage presents opportunities to protect your rights and build your defense.

Following arrest, you will be booked and may face an initial court appearance where bail is set. Your attorney should be involved immediately to argue for reasonable bail conditions and begin investigating your case. The prosecution then files formal charges, and you will attend an arraignment where you will enter your initial plea.

The pre-trial phase is often where cases are won or lost. Your attorney will file motions to suppress illegally obtained evidence, challenge witness testimony, and negotiate with prosecutors. Some cases resolve through plea negotiations during this phase.

If your case proceeds to trial, you will face a jury of your peers who will determine your guilt or innocence based on the evidence presented. Your Lakewood criminal defense lawyer will present compelling evidence on your behalf, cross-examine prosecution witnesses, and protect your rights throughout the entire trial process.

Understanding Your Rights During Police Questioning and Arrest

When law enforcement wants to question you about a crime, you have important constitutional rights that can protect you from self-incrimination. However, these rights only help if you know how to use them properly:

• You have the right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment, which means you cannot be forced to answer questions or provide statements that could incriminate you. 
• You also have the right to have an attorney present during any questioning under the Sixth Amendment.

You should never speak to police without an attorney present, regardless of what they promise or threaten. Police are allowed to lie during questioning and may use psychological pressure to obtain confessions. Simply tell officers that you want to speak with an attorney and then remain silent until your lawyer arrives. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court, so exercising these rights is always the safest choice.

Washington State Sentencing Guidelines and Penalty Ranges

Washington categorizes crimes into two main types:

• Misdemeanors: These less serious offenses are divided into simple misdemeanors (up to 90 days in jail and $1,000 in fines) and gross misdemeanors (up to one year in jail and $5,000 in fines).
• Felonies: These are more serious crimes classified as Class A (most severe, potentially life in prison and up to $50,000 in fines), Class B (up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines), or Class C (up to 5 years in prison and $10,000 in fines).

Washington also uses a complex point system that ranks felonies across fifteen different seriousness levels. These sentences are influenced by your offender score, which is based on factors like your prior criminal history. This means identical charges can result in vastly different sentences; a criminal defense lawyer can help identify opportunities for reduced charges, argue for lower classifications, and present mitigating factors to the court.

Protect Your Freedom: Schedule Your Criminal Defense Consultation Today

Criminal charges threaten to destroy everything you’ve worked to build. Your reputation, career, and freedom hang in the balance as prosecutors seek maximum penalties. The justice system can feel overwhelming and hostile, but The Law Offices of Mark S. Treyz can provide the support, guidance, and aggressive defense strategies you need to fight back. Contact our Lakewood criminal defense lawyer at (253) 272-8666 to begin protecting your future.