DUI

A DUI charge is serious. A conviction can affect your job, your license, and many other things. The decisions you make now are important. At Neralich Law Firm, we understand the pressure. We also know the law, the local courts, and what it takes to stand up and push back.

Attorney Dougal Neralich has more than a decade of courtroom experience and knows how to defend DUI cases. He sees each client as an individual, not just another case. His approach is focused on preparation and personal attention. This is important in DUI cases, because the criminal courts and Department of Licensing (DOL) both move quickly after you have been charged with DUI.

Being arrested for DUI in Washington sets two separate legal processes in motion. You will have an administrative case with the DOL and a criminal case in court running on independent tracks. Each has its own rules, deadlines, and risks.

The DOL process starts right away. If your BAC was .08 or higher, or if you refused a breath test, you face an automatic license suspension. To challenge it, you must request a hearing within seven days of your arrest. If you don’t, the suspension goes into effect by default. The hearing is usually held by phone and focuses solely on procedural issues, not guilt.

Meanwhile, the criminal case occurs in court. This is where penalties like jail time, fines, probation, and treatment are decided. The two tracks don’t influence each other directly. You can lose your license through the DOL even if you win your case, or vice versa. That’s why both deserve immediate attention.

Neralich Law Firm handles both proceedings from the start. We assist you in filing for your DOL hearing, prepare a thorough challenge to the suspension, and simultaneously build your criminal defense. This coordinated strategy helps protect your future.

The stakes are higher when you’re facing a second, third, or subsequent DUI charge. Washington law imposes enhanced penalties for repeat offenders, including mandatory jail time or home monitoring, longer license suspensions, and higher fines. Courts also tend to approach repeat DUIs more harshly, seeing them as patterns and not just an isolated incident.

But that doesn’t mean your hands are tied. Instead, it means you need a defense strategy that’s even more thoughtful and assertive.

We’ve handled cases for clients who’ve already gone through the system once or twice and who are now dealing with the full weight of the law. For those individuals, the key questions become:

• Was the previous DUI conviction valid and properly entered?
• Were the current arrest procedures lawful and thorough?
• Are there mitigating factors, like medical issues, life circumstances, or treatment compliance, that the court should consider?

We will explore your full history, not just the record on paper in your current case. That’s part of the personal approach that sets this firm apart. We will do what it takes to give you the best chance of moving forward positively.

There are plenty of DUI lawyers in Seattle and throughout Washington. What makes this firm different isn’t flash or slogans. It’s substance. Dougal Neralich is known for being deeply prepared, fully present, and personally invested in each case. 

Dougal brings more than just courtroom experience. He brings a mindset to your case where he is always looking for the detail that could make the difference. That preparation starts early and goes deep, and translated into credibility in front of judges, juries and prosecutors.

You will also feel the difference outside the courtroom. When you call, you be in direct contact with your attorney from day one. No handoffs, no gatekeeping. Just real, honest representation. This is why we have created lifelong relationships with many of our clients, who still check in with updates or call when they need legal guidance.

Every DUI case starts with a conversation. There’s no cost to that conversation and no pressure to sign anything. Just a chance to talk, explain, and start getting a handle on the situation.

When you call, we’ll ask the right questions and give you clear next steps. If you choose to move forward with us, we’ll start working immediately, by requesting records, analyzing the traffic stop, and preparing a defense plan built around you.