I tell people who face a Washington DUI charge there are three ways of resolving their case. The first way is by going to trial. Statistically, Washington DUI cases do not end in a bench or jury trial. Last year, less than 4% of all DUI and Physical Control charges ended in a trial.

The second way to resolve petitioning for a deferred prosecution or plea negotiations. A deferred prosecution is only available to people who have been deemed to be alcohol and/or drug dependent or who suffer from severe mental health issues. Most people with their first DUI charge are not diagnosed as being dependent. As such, an overwhelming amount of DUI cases are resolved via plea negotiations.

The ultimate goal in plea negotiations is to get the DUI charge as far down as possible. While