Have a Question?
FAQ
Here are some general questions and answers about DUI charges and how the DOL works in Washington State.
I was arrested for DUI last year, why am I getting a notice to come to court now?
Prosecutors have 2 years to file your gross misdemeanor DUI charge, so they do not always file right away. If the police took your blood, then the prosecutors were probably waiting for your blood sample to file charges. If you gave a breath sample or refused to give a breath sample, the prosecutors might have delayed because they wanted to file other people's cases first, whose cases might be older than yours.
The police took my blood last year and I just now got a notice from DOL. Does that mean my blood sample is tested?
Most likely, yes – the tox lab tested your blood results and your BAC was .08 or higher or your THC levels were 5ng/mL or higher.
I moved out of the State of Washington since I was arrested, do I have to come back for court?
Yes, but many appearances can happen over Zoom these days. You will most likely have to come back to court in person at some point.
I did not receive any court notices and now I have a warrant, what do I do?
You can get the warrant quashed by setting a hearing or by posting bail. After the warrant is quashed, you will navigate your DUI charge through investigation, pretrial hearings, motions hearings, and a trial or a plea hearing. A DUI charge is an allegation and you are innocent UNLESS you are either found guilty at trial or plead guilty to DUI or a lesser charge.