Legal Question in Criminal Law in Washington

My son has charges in 2 courts of possession of paraphernalia. Before he received notification of these charges, he made the wise choice to detox and go to treatment in California. He has now successfully completed treatment, intensive outpatient, outpatient, is living in sober living in California (doesn't want to return to old environment) and is working fulltime, as well as working the 12-steps with a sponsor and attending meetings. He is 4 months clean today, and happy and healthy in his recovery. He is flying home for an arraignment in one court on Monday, and will try to have one on Tuesday in the other court. He only has a few days off work. The question is, what is likely to happen next? He doesn't want to lose his job, and feels that he has already done what the courts would want him to do. He is hopeful that, best case scenario, the charges would be dropped given his choice to change his life, complete treatment, etc., or that there won't be further court dates to disrupt his job and new life in recovery. What will the likely next steps be?


Asked on 9/19/16, 12:23 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Stan Glisson Glisson & Morris

Normally, you will want to have an attorney involved before you make the trip. Prosecutors aren't normally able to resolve cases at the first appearance, so if you fly in for that hearing the judge is likely to just set the cases over and require another trip in a month or so.

A lawyer can normally get things worked out in advance of the court date, so it can be wrapped up in one trip.

Depending on the courts, there are a number of different options to resolve the cases, But without knowing the facts, his history, and what courts you are dealing with I couldn't tell you what is likely.

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Answered on 9/19/16, 12:27 pm


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