Since 1995, Dan Samas has successfully represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases.

Washington State Patrol Uses New Airplane Technology to Nab Speeders

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So you got the latest radar detector? You watch out for police cars following you. You know where there are markings on the highway for aircraft speed patrols. So you think that you are one step ahead of the Washington State Patrol? Think again!

Just like motorists are updating the tools they use to avoid detection, Washington State Patrol is beefing up it's technology as well. In fact according to an article, WSP may be the frst police agency to use this technolgy. Road markings are no longer necessary for aircraft to measure your speed and the planes can now be used day or night. You can read about these new developments here http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/everett/2014/08/29/wsp-speeding-technology/14829685/ Beware and drive safely!

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

 

 

 

Restictions for Teenage Drivers

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Wasjington State places restitictions on teenage drivers that many parents and young drivers with intermediate licenses are not aware of before it is too late. Intermedate drivers are more often aware of some of these restictions (nighttime driving, driving with passengers, and use of cell phones), but not others. The others that I am referring to involve serious consequences that just a couple of tickets can have on the privlage to drive in WA.

In general, just one ticket or accident may result in a warning letter. This is important because the second ticket or accident may lead to a six month suspension from driving. The third can lead to a suspension of a teenager's lcense until the age 18. While the policy reasons for the restrictions on new drivers make sense, parents are often seriously impacted when their children can no longer drive to school, work, etc. Also, there are situations where a teenager is not at fault for a ticket or accident, but are penalized anyway. Therefore, it is imperative that teenagers fight every ticket they receive.

You can read more about the rules for teen drivers here http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/teens.html.

If you received a ticket that you are determined to fight, give me a call for a free consultation or visit my site www.seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us  I will work hard to help you.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

 

How to Beat Speeding Tickets, Advice from a REAL Lawyer

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I was recently featured on KOMO News 4 How to Beat Speeding Tickets, Advice from a REAL Lawyer. This was my first live TV interview and thus far I have received very positive feedback. The segment offers some helpful advice on what to do when you are stopped for a speeding or traffic ticket and the resources that AVVO.com provides.

Since the interview was short we didn't get to all questions like why it makes economic sense to hire an experienced traffic ticket attorney or examples of how skilled speeding ticket attorneys get tickets dismissed on technicalities. For information on these topics, I have included some relevant links.

https://seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us/why-it-makes-economic-sense-to-hire-the-law-offices-of-dan-samas/

https://seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us/discovery-for-traffic-and-speeding-tickets-in-washington-state/

If you received a ticket that you are determined to fight, give me a call for a free consultation or visit my site www.seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us  I will work hard to help you.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Why it makes economic sense to hire the Law Offices of Dan Samas

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 I have been asked a number of time by prospective clients why should I hire the Law Offices of Dan Samas to fight my ticket in a situation where the ticket amount is less than the cost of attorney representation.

Here are the facts. Drivers with a one-car, single-driver policy who had one moving violation on their driving record paid on average 18 percent more for car insurance (approximately $200 more annually) than drivers with no violations. Drivers with two moving violations paid 34 percent more for insurance (approximately $380 more annually), and drivers with three violations had their insurance premiums increase 53 percent (approximately $600 more annually) when compared to drivers who had a clean driving record.

These are not my statistics as they were cited in an article by Forbes (http://blogs.forbes.com/moneybuilder/2011/06/02/the-true-cost-of-a-speeding-ticket/) and Insurance.com (http://www.insurance.com/auto-insurance/saving-money/car-insurance-violations.html). The important thing to keep in mind is that WA traffic tickets will remain on your driving record for three years so essentially you can estimate the total cost of having a ticket go on your record by tripling the dollar amounts cited above. Hiring an experienced traffic ticket attorney to fight your ticket can actually save you hundreds of dollars, so don't just look at the potential penalty listed on your ticket.

If you received a ticket that you are determined to fight, give me a call for a free consultation or visit my site www.seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us I will work hard to help you.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Local Court Rules – Why they are important

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If you want the best possible outcome for your traffic or speeding ticket in King, Snohomish, or Pierce County, I suggest that you hire a metro Seattle traffic attorney who is familiar with the court’s local rules. On numerous occasions, I have seen motorists who have chosen to represent themselves lose their hearings, incur greater fines, or be required to come back to court simply because they are not familiar with the intricacies of the court’s rules and procedures.

For example, recently in Marysville Municipal Court, I watched a motorist represent herself at her speeding hearing. She requested the presence of an electronic speed measuring device expert (who did show up at the hearing). The motorist presented various defenses that generally do not work (and the judge has probably heard dozens of times from people who do not hire an attorney.) After the judge ruled against her, she was surprised to learn that the court had a local rule that required motorists who do not win their traffic cases to also pay the fee charged by the expert.

If the motorist had researched the local rules carefully, she would not have been in this situation. Of course, she could also have hired an experienced metro Seattle/ Snohomish county traffic and speeding ticket attorney in the first place, who would have a much better chance of getting her charge reduced or dismissed outright to keep her driving record clean.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves.

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Discovery for Traffic and Speeding Tickets in Washington State

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If you want the best possible outcome for your traffic or speeding ticket in King, Snohomish, or Pierce County, I suggest that you hire a metro Seattle traffic attorney who is familiar with technicalities (AKA ways to get your traffic ticket dismissed without having to argue what actually happened on the day you received it). On numerous occasions, I have seen motorists who have chosen to represent themselves lose their hearings, incur fines, or be required to come back to court simply because they are not familiar with all of the intricacies of the court’s rules and procedures.

Now-on to discovery. Motorists who get traffic or speeding tickets in Washington can receive discovery if they follow the proper procedure (the court clerk can provide specific information on how to receive discovery if you chose to do this yourself). What is discovery? It is the evidence the court intends to present against you. When you receive a traffic ticket, you typically get what experienced traffic lawyers call the front of the ticket. However this information is usually not enough for the court to find that you committed the traffic infraction. The back of the ticket is the officer’s sworn statement of what actually happened during the traffic stop. In conjunction with the front of the citation, the officer’s statement is what the judge or prosecutor relies on in making the case against you.

Why do Washington traffic attorneys request discovery? Because, simply asking for it increases the probability of dismissal. For example, if a motorist or a metro Seattle traffic lawyer makes a timely discovery request according to the court’s rules and subsequently does not receive discovery, he or she can move to have the officer’s statement suppressed and in all likelihood the case will be dismissed for lack of evidence.

Discovery also allows attorneys to prepare several motions to dismiss ahead of time which is a huge advantage. Motorists who represent themselves are often blind-sided when they see the evidence against them for the first time minutes before their hearing.

Here is just one example of how my discovery request worked to the advantage of one of my clients in King County District Court in Burien.  I received discovery, but the officer’s affidavit was essentially a blank page. Even though the judge informed me that her documents actually contained another page with all of the officer’s details, my motion to suppress and dismiss was granted on the grounds that the prosecution did not provide me with complete discovery. Another victory!

If you are the do it yourself type, of course you could request discovery yourself and take a chance. However, what I described is just one of the numerous technicalities that a trained speeding ticket lawyer can take advantage of to get your case dismissed or reduced to a non-moving violation

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves.

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Washington Traffic Ticket Defenses You Probably Shouldn’t Use

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As a metro Seattle Traffic Ticket Lawyer, I have seen many motorists represent themselves. While some are successful, this is often despite of what they say before a judge. Sadly, I often see motorists incriminate themselves. With this in mind, I thought it would be helpful to list some traffic defenses that generally do not work and may even end up hurting your case.

The other car was is my blind spot- not likely to get you out of an unsafe lane change ticket.

I don’t know how fast I was going- some prosecutors and judges view this as an admission you were speeding.

My car is old and can’t go over 60 mph- I personally think this one is funny.

The officer didn’t show me the speed measuring device readout- this is not required in Washington.

The officer was rude and gave me a ticket out of spite- besides not being a legal defense this will not likely win you brownie points with a judge.

I was going the speed of traffic- does not work.

There was a big truck next to me when the officer measured my speed- this may sound like a novel defense to you, but think about how many times the judge has heard this.

I was speeding, but not going as fast as the officer claimed- this is essentially an admission.

I was driving someone to the hospital for a medical emergency- most judges will say you should have called an ambulance.

At this point you are probably asking yourself what does work. Generally experienced traffic ticket attorneys are most successful fighting tickets based on technicalities. You can learn some of these if you spend a few weeks in court. However, for most people it will be both more time and cost effective to have a trained speeding ticket lawyer fight your ticket.

If you received a ticket that you are determined to fight, give me a call for a free consultation or visit my site www.seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us. I will work hard to help you.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Check Your WA Department of Licensing Record Periodically

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The premise of this article is simple- I recommend that WA state drivers check their Department of Licensing (DOL) records periodically. There are all sorts of advertisements urging individuals to check their credit scores, however most people do not take the time to check their WA DOL records.

Why should you check your driving DOL record? From my experience, the records are generally accurate but they are not perfect. Errors on your DOL record not only affect your insurance rates, they can impact your job prospects and lead to embarrassing situations.

The clerks in our judicial system do a fantastic job, but because of factors including the sheer volume of speeding/ traffic tickets and lack of resources due to budgetary constraints, mistakes do happen. You can be impacted by inaction.

I have seen firsthand situations where tickets have been dismissed, yet appear on a WA DOL record. In one instance, the person impacted saw their insurance premium go up approx. $500 for a six month term just for one speeding ticket. He discovered the error when his insurance spiked when it was up for renewal.

I was able to help this motorist, by asking the court to submit a records correction to the WA State Department of Licensing, but my point is that the extra time and effort explaining the situation to insurance companies, reporting agencies, and employers could have been avoided if the WA state driver took a few minutes to check his record online.

Here is the link to request your WA DOL record. There is a nominal cost, but in my opinion it is worth it. http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/requestyourrecord.html

If you received a ticket that you are determined to fight, give me a call for a free consultation or visit my site www.seattletrafficandspeedingtickets.us. I will work hard to help you.

As an experienced traffic ticket attorney, my client’s metro Seattle traffic tickets often are dismissed. If your traffic ticket is not dismissed, the Law Offices of Dan Samas can often arrange for a reduction to a non-moving violation so the ticket will not increase your insurance rates.

Dan Samas has been an attorney since 1995 and has represented thousands of motorists in traffic ticket cases. He has helped Metro Seattle drivers avoid auto insurance premium increases, missed work, and travel expenses since they don’t have to go to court themselves

All information contained herein is provided for the purpose of providing basic information only and should not be construed as formal legal advice. The authors disclaim any and all liability resulting from reliance upon such information. You are strongly encouraged to seek professional legal advice before relying upon any of the information contained herein. Legal advice should be sought directly from a properly retained lawyer or attorney. Each situation is different, so prior results should not create an expectation of the results of your case. We do not guarantee a specific result in any case. Unless otherwise stated, the information on this site is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.