Practice Areas

DUI Defense

DUI cases can be much more complex than your average criminal case. Any good DUI attorney would tell you that the heart of a DUI case is usually the BAC machine's result. Therefore a good DUI attorney's job revolves around dealing with a very scientific instrument. Fortunately, what this means is that several things must be both working properly and certified as working properly in order for the result to "come in," or be admissible in a court before a jury. On each DUI case, our firm tracks down whether these "20 points of certification" are met, and if they are not, we make a legal motion before the court for the suppression of the results of the machine. Some of the motions we can make and results we can achieve on your case may involve the following:

• Invalid certification of officer
  • Suppression of breath test
• Failure to properly adhere to 15 minute wait period for both tests
  • Suppression of breath test
• Failure to read implied consent warnings
  • Inability to suspend driver's license
• Failure to properly read Miranda Rights
  • Potential reduction of DUI to traffic ticket
• Failure of officer to appear when requested at Department of Licensing hearing
  • Inability to suspend driver's license
• Failure to check inside mouth 15 minutes before breath test
  • Suppression of breath test

The above matters are just some of the issues that can result in major reductions of your case or winning the Department of Licensing hearing and preventing suspension. The Law Office of James Egan has in the past taken DUI charges and turned them into traffic tickets, and has defeated the Department of Licensing suspension proceeding so there is no license suspension. The only way to see whether this is possible for you is to contact us at (206) 749-0333 / 0353 and talk to us.

Personal Injury

Having had ample experience in jury trials from Criminal Defense matters, the Law Office of James C. Egan is also poised to accept cases regarding personal injury and auto accident matters in the Western Washington area. Currently, the law team is handling a number of personal injury cases and is prepared to go to all lengths to obtain settlements or verdicts for clients. We do not simply sit on our hands and negotiate cases; rather, we prepare every personal injury case as if it may go to trial. Anyone in the industry knows that the more an attorney is prepared for trial, the greater the likelihood of a higher settlement with the insurance company or defendant. We know this and use it to our client's advantage. As always, consultations are free and there is NO COST to you. If there is no recovery for you, there is none for us and you owe us nothing.

However, we are confident that when we take on a case, there will be a recovery for you if one is merited. Please call the firm and we will gladly meet with you to discuss your matter for free.

Civil Rights

Besides criminal defense work, the Law Offices of James C. Egan also does civil rights plaintiff's work involving civil rights issues. General discrimination, police brutality and government discrimination have been a focus. In one case that resulted in a settlement with the City of Seattle, police had wrongfully arrested a few clients for having a party on their property. Although the basis for the police presence had been addressed, those clients were arrested and booked anyway. Criminal charges were dismissed, and a "counter-suit" for damages prevailed and attorney fees and suffering were compensated.

In another recent matter, alleged racial discrimination at a local area medical institution resulted in a 6 figure settlement for a client. The Law Office of James C. Egan also has a number of pending civil rights cases in which demands are being made for compensation.

These are examples of the types of cases that the law team has handled. In each case, we attempt to resolve the matters with a maximum settlement for each client. While several settlements have been reached against municipalities and organizations that have violated the civil rights of clients, matters that do not result in favorable offers will be pursued through trial.

Misdemeanor Defense

For years the Law Offices of James Egan has defended persons charged with misdemeanor crimes in the State of Washington. This has included a very large percentage in Seattle Municipal Court and the outlying courts in and around Seattle, such as Shoreline, Burien, Kent, Renton, Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland.

Although less serious than felonies, misdemeanors can strongly affect people's careers, relationships and liberties. Any misdemeanor comes with it the possibility of jail time. Fines are often just part and parcel of the myriad consequences of convictions. Traffic offenses which are also crimes (such as DUI / DWI, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving and Hit and Run Attended) can also result in Department of Licensing consequences, such as license suspension. Any good attorney must carefully assess the consequences of any particular action. The Law Office of James Egan knows just how to proceed on each case.

When it comes to both the District Courts and Seattle Municipal Court, it is important to hire a firm which has had past experience with those courts. The reason is that although the laws are generally the same in court, the procedures can be quite different. For example, Seattle Municipal Court has "vehicles" for getting criminal charges off the table that do not exist in the outer courts. For example, Seattle Municipal Court has Pretrial Diversion, Dispositional Continuance and "Slo Neg" offers one will not find in the District Courts.

The District Courts require careful negotiation and will respond to legal arguments related to your case in terms of reductions. By filing motions, the Law Office of James Egan can frequently get reductions or dismissals on cases. For example, in one recent Possession of Marijuana charge the defendant was facing jail time and substantial fines, and his ability to qualify for financial aid for college was going to be in jeopardy. After filing motions against probable cause violations, this office got the matter reduced to a simple misdemeanor charge of Disorderly Conduct. The client served no jail, fines were at a minimum, and the matter appears as a civil disobedience / protest offense in his college applications.

Felony Defense

Felony charges can be the most difficult matters anyone can face. Convictions can result in some very serious ramifications, so it pays to have the best possible defense available. Currently the Law Offices of James Egan is handling a small number of felony cases in order to ensure results for each defendant. The felonies handled privately include Attempted Murder, Assault, Voyeurism, Possession of Stolen Property and Indecent Liberties.

We take each case very seriously as there is a need to reach an outcome which is acceptable to you. A felony case often involves the hiring of an investigator to visit the scene of the alleged crime and to interview witnesses. Trial preparation is substantially greater than in misdemeanors. Hence, legal fees of $8,000 or more are reasonable. When compared with the potential loss of liberty for several months of incarceration, the fee is reasonable and reflects actual attorney hours to prevent the felony conviction.

Sexual Deviancy

These are particular felonies which can be especially onerous in terms of consequences. The Law Offices of James Egan has handled them and continues to do so. Voyeurism, burglary, indecent exposure and indecent liberties are the types of cases that have been managed before by this firm with generally favorable outcomes (dismissals with costs, reductions to trespassing charges with no jail, etc.). Each case, however, will be reviewed on its own merits before representing any person.