is DUI gross misdemeanor of a felony. what about dwi

is DUI gross misdemeanor of a felony. what about dwi my next question is do any one ever know of some one dui or dwi case never being file .I went to court on July 2 but they say the case not be been file yet had a blood test done im so worry it was a big mistake god know how it was a big mistake is there any chance a case can fall true the crack has it ever happen please help
Answer this question Add to list

Answers (4)

Jonathan Dichter

Jonathan Dichter Avvo Pro

Contributor Level 5
In Washington, DUI is a gross misdemeanor generally. The only time it becomes a felony is if you have a large number of priors or committed vehicular assault or homicide. Secondly, there is no such crime as DWI in Washington. All DUIs are the same.

Regarding how long it takes to file a DUI, the court and prosecutor have up to 2 years from the date of the incident. In King County it's not unusual for cases to take months to be charged - especially in the event of a blood draw. It is essential that you contact an attorney immediately to begin to discuss your options so that you can resolve this mistake as soon as possible.

CALL NOW for your FREE CONSULTATION - 425-424-9401
0 0
Travis S Jones

Travis S Jones

Contributor Level 5
In addition to the information in the prior answer, the fact that this was a blood draw case means that it will take longer than usual to process. The blood has to be analysed to see what the alcohol content is. If the level is .08 or higher the prosecutor will almost certainly file the charge. If it is under .08 then there is a slight chance that the charge will be filed as a lesser crime.
0 0
Nathan L Webb

Nathan L Webb Avvo Pro

Contributor Level 4
A DUI is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $5000 fine. Typically in DUI cases where a blood draw was taken, it will take a bit longer to file than those where a breath test was taken. The blood is taken in two vials, collected by the officer, placed into an evidence locker, transported to the Washington State Toxicology lab for testing and then the results are provided. This is why there is a delay in your case. It is possible for the case to "slip through the cracks" (government could miss the filing deadline, but this is not likely and few and far between. In Washington state the government has 2 years in which to file a DUI case, so it is likely to have the time to file your case. It is extremely rare for a case to not be filed within the statutory allotted timeframe. You also need to take immediate action to challenge any supsension of your license, as this is a blood draw, it is likely the Department of Licensing will notify you of your right to have an administrative hearing to challenge any suspension of your license should the toxicology results show a BAC of above .08 based on your blood results. At that time, you should contact a competent DUI attorney to assist you with your case.
0 0
Lance George Miyatovich

Lance George Miyatovich

Contributor Level 6
Mr Dichters answer is 100% correct. If you need a free consultation for more information, Do not hesitate to call my office.
0 0
Back to Search Results

Ask a Question

Get free answers from real lawyers.

Top DUI Contributors

1.
David Wayne Willis
Contributor Level 5
22 answers, 0 legal guides
2.
Edward Jerome Blum
Contributor Level 7
21 answers, 0 legal guides
3.
Carlos Gonzalez
Contributor Level 7
12 answers, 1 legal guides
View all DUI Lawyers on the Contribution Leaderboard

Next question: citizenshipe

Previous question: Filing for divorce