The State of Washington charges and classifies the type of crime based on the length of sentence the accused receives if they are convicted and imprisoned. Anything 364 days or less is considered a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor and anything one year or over is a felony. The three classifications of felonies in Washington State are:

• (a) For a class A felony, by confinement in a state correctional institution for a term of life imprisonment, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of fifty thousand dollars, or by both such confinement and fine;
• (b) For a class B felony, by confinement in a state correctional institution for a term of ten years, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of twenty thousand dollars, or by both such confinement and fine
• (c) For a class C felony, by confinement in a state correctional institution for five years, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of ten thousand dollars, or by both such confinement and fine. (source: Washington State RCW 9a.20.021)

As a criminal defense law firm, we are with our clients from the discovery process; through obtaining the testimony of DNA experts and forensic pathologists; to a trial before a judge and jury.

We have provided counsel to clients facing these types of serious felony allegations:

• Murder and manslaughter
• Felony assault
• Kidnapping
• Drive-by shootings
• Gang related crimes
• Robbery
• Burglary
• “Three strikes” offenses

An attorney from our criminal defense law firm can review the full range of charges and sentencing structures associated with felony crimes.

The Crowley Law Firm also has extensive experience defending clients charged with Drug Offenses and Sex Offenses. Please see the links for those categories of charges.

Federal Felonies are charges brought against a person suspected of breaking a federal law by an agency of The United States Government where the sentence may be one year or more in prison. Generally, if you have been taken into custody by federal agents or arrested on federal property (a National Park for instance) you will be charged with a federal felony. Charges brought against a person by a state agency where the crime is said to have occurred in multiple states may also qualify as a federal felony.

Defendants facing federal felony charges will face a different set of circumstances than those of a state proceeding. For instance, bail, on the state level, is determined by a schedule (i.e., if you commit THIS crime, you must pay THIS much to get out of jail). The procedures of a federal arrest differ in that there is no bail schedule, and defendants are required to be interviewed by a Pretrial Services Officer in order to determine whether or not they are even eligible for bail.

The Pretrial Services Officer will make an investigation of:

• Background
• Employment history and/or status
• Financial situation
• Family relationships
• Position within the community in which they live

Having a federal criminal defense lawyer can be vital to securing your ability to be released on bail. The government maintains the right to hold, without bail, individuals who pose a flight risk or individuals who are determined to be too dangerous to released back into their communities while awaiting trial.

It is common to be detained without the allowance of bail if involved in:

• Violent crimes resulting in death or injury
• Serious “serial” criminal violations (ie armed robberies, rape)
• The sale and distribution of illegal weapons
• Organized crimes
• Gang related activities
• Individuals with extensive criminal histories may also be detained without bail.

A federal criminal defense attorney may be able to help you secure your bail, or help you appeal to the District Court Judge, if your bail has been denied.

The discovery process in federal courts is also quite different than that of the state courts. A United States Prosecuting Attorney, for instance, is not required to provide the statements of their witnesses to the federal criminal defense team until after the witnesses have testified before the courts. This means that, without a motion to compel discovery early on in the trial, a U.S. Prosecutor can withhold testimonial evidence until the last minute and present a bombshell disclosure for which the defendant is unprepared. We will counter these kinds of strategies with skill and forcefulness.

In our pursuit to establish your innocence, we may implement any one or a number of the following defenses:

• Insufficient Evidence is used when there is little to no factual evidence to support the allegations against you.
• Duress is an argument that can be utilized when the accused felt threatened, intimidated or bullied into participating in the crime.
• Entrapment is an argument utilized by our criminal defense law firm when federal or law enforcement officials have baited and manipulated targeted individuals to coerce them into committing a crime.
• Absence of Intent to Commit a Crime is implemented when the crime itself is a result of a series of events that, in combination, causes the appearance of a crime, but, lacking intent, is merely the logical outcome of a set of sequential and/or coincidental occurrences.
• Insanity is a defense that is presented when the insanity of the defendant can be evidenced and proven. It is a hard sell, but viable when circumstances warrant its use.