Hard times require hope and help. We provide both…to all our clients.
Being charged with a crime is one of the most difficult and disruptive events that can happen to someone. We are here to walk you through the process, help you make the best decisions possible, and most importantly, fight for you, tooth and nail, every step of the way.
SEATTLE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS GUARDING YOUR FREEDOM
At Black & Askerov, PLLC, we understand the serious consequences that may follow a criminal conviction and the importance of fighting for a defendant’s rights to the limits of the law. We are attorneys who have developed a hard-earned reputation as leaders in the criminal defense community. Based in Seattle, our dedicated criminal defense lawyers are tireless in investigating each client’s situation, negotiating during the plea bargaining process, and preparing a case for trial.
If you choose us, you can trust us to provide an honest assessment of your options, rather than promising unrealistic results. We will clearly explain each aspect of your case so that you can make appropriate decisions for your needs and goals. Committed to leaving no stone unturned, our criminal defense firm represents Washington residents in the following areas:
- Drug crimes, white collar/fraud, federal crimes,
- Violent crimes, sex crimes, domestic violence,
- Theft, DUI defense, pre-charge investigations,
- Appeals and post-conviction relief,
- Protection orders, and forfeitures
Our firm has extensive experience working with foreign nationals. We know how to pursue outcomes in state and federal cases, in both the pre-trial and post-conviction contexts, that protect the immigration status of people who have been charged with crimes.
Call us now to get the superior protection and representation you and your loved ones deserve. We always offer a free consultation. Just contact us and let us help.
MEET OUR SEATTLE CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
PROFESSIONAL. RELIABLE. DEPENDABLE.
THE BLACK & ASKEROV BLOG
A COLLECTION OF FIRM NEWS AND INSIGHTS INTO CRIMINAL DEFENSE PRACTICE AREAS AND ISSUES
Please find below our most recent posts. Visit the Black & Askerov Blog here to view and access all of our firm’s blog posts.
Drug Possession Now a Misdemeanor Under Washington Law
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed a measure that significantly changes the state’s approach to drug possession. The Gov. signed the law after the Washington Supreme Court struck down Washington’s previous possession law as unconstitutional. If you have been charged with a drug crime, it is critical to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney now.
What is the New Law?
Washington law now states that the possession of a controlled substance is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to 90 days in jail. Examples of a controlled substance include:
- Cocaine,
- Heroine, and
- Methamphetamine
The state’s previous law on the matter said that the crime of possession […]
Washington’s Child Pornography Laws
Washington law makes it a crime for a person to both view and possess child pornography. A child pornography conviction is a felony offense that can be punished by over a year in state prison. If you or someone you know is facing a child pornography charge, it is critical to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney now.
Convictions for Viewing and Possession
RCW 9.68A sets forth the criminal code sections regarding child pornography. Under these laws, a person can be charged with knowingly possessing and/or intentionally viewing “sexually explicit images” that involve child pornography. The crimes are charged as follows:
- possession of depictions of […]
Federal Law on Child Pornography
Images and depictions of child pornography are not considered protected forms of free speech under the U.S. Constitution. This means they are illegal under both state and federal laws. Federal charges involving child pornography are quite severe and prosecutors often try to punish offenders under the full extent of the law. If you or a loved one is facing federal child pornography charges, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney now.
What is Child Pornography?
Federal laws define “child pornography” as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. Some definitions here are helpful:
- “Visual depictions” include photographs, videos, and digital or computer-generated images, and
- A “minor” is a […]
“I am enthusiastically recommending Chris Black. He worked with me over the course of a year while representing a family member of mine on a case that was very complex. In addition to his great skill and knowledge as an attorney, I found him to be unfailingly compassionate and kind, and always calm under very difficult circumstances. Chris goes out of his way to respond quickly to any question or issue. He is a person of high integrity and consistently provides excellent representation from start to finish. I will always be grateful to him.”
“Recently my family and I experienced nothing any of us had ever come close to dealing with before. My husband and I hurriedly traveled to Seattle from Sandpoint, Idaho to help one of our sons who had been arrested on felony assault charges. We were panicked, confused, and totally out of our element in that we have never needed the services of a lawyer before. Thankfully, while we were traveling across state a relative found Chris online for us and we decided to call. This was the best decision we could have made and it set the course for a positive outcome for our son and family. Not only were we able to get our son released from jail promptly but I believe that Chris’s vast experience and expertise was ultimately what led to our son never even being charged. It was a traumatic time for all of us and had we not had Chris on our side I am afraid our son’s life would have been changed dramatically and not for the best. Chris is straight forward, frank, very knowledgeable and he treated us with kindness and understanding. Chris is a genuine person who’s talent was used to help us in a way that I will never be able to properly thank him for. Contact Chris and Tim, you will immediately be set at ease and I know they will be able to help.”
“My family had been bothered by a legal issue off and on for decades. We went to different law firms in the area and were met with high retainers and opinions that the outcome of the case would be detrimental to our family. When we talked to Black Law, Chris himself talked to the family and laid out his opinion, strategy and cost. His opinion was we had a good chance at a positive outcome, and some chance at an outright dismissal. His retainer was lower than anyone else had quoted. His strategy was to work hard and smart and get started on the issue the next day. Which he did! In a matter of days, (not months as quoted elsewhere), he had the total case dismissed in our favor!! His work was right on the mark and immediate. He himself is personal and personable. I can’t say enough about his company and how he treats his clients. No promises, but straight talk with detailed strategy and opinion on outcome. Then he executes his strategy and our outcome was the best possible, and much better than expected. I recommend Chris the highest of anyone I would recommend for anything. Especially when it is legal. Great guy and firm.”
“I had a difficult case with harmful false accusations. I was told by other professionals that it was impossible to win. I wanted someone to believe in me, and that is exactly what Mr. Black and his team did. There are no words to describe his dedication to my case. Thanks to his knowledge, professionalism, and values, I won my ‘impossible to win’ case. Chris is an excellent lawyer, but most of all a wonderful person.”
“Mr. Black is everything I could ask for in a legal professional. He is to the point and very frank. I was represented by Mr. Black and found him to be the consummate professional. His knowledge of the law and his dedicated representation put my mind at ease. He made my entire ordeal manageable and I was satisfied with the outcome of my case.”
“Mr Black defended me in a DV 4th degree case recently. I talked to a couple of attorneys and tried to find the best one in Seattle. Only Mr Black had kind concern and care about what happened. The other attorneys are like: oh this is just another DV case, you finish some courses first.
This was my first time got involved in this, and I was very panic. He is very professional, with great insights and the best strategies on a case. He cares about people, gave me great advices and worked on the case. He always reply my questions very fast, either on phone or email.
Only 2 weeks after I hired Mr Black, my case got dismissed. I strongly recommend him as the best defense lawyer.”
“Chris stepped into a hard case for me and my extended family. We didn’t know what to do and he helped us so much. I will forever be grateful for his expertise and advise.”
“I was about to give up in my criminal case, the legal defender told me to plea guilty and I will be 6 months in prison and there was no solution for my case, I was facing up to 5 years in prison and 250,000 Dls fine, thank God my wife hire Mr. Black ; got released from jail two weeks after. 4 months after hiring Mr. Black I am at home, my case is finish and done with it. I have time served, I paid $100.00 fine and got 2 points on my record, I highly recommend Mr. Black, he is a professional, experienced and one of the best.”
“Having found myself in a less than enviable position I needed a criminal attorney. Luckily for me, Chris was referred to me by one of his associates. Chris was very professional and thorough making sure that my rights were protected. His counsel was sound and he put me at ease as best he could during a very traumatic time for me.
I feel lucky that I had Chris but hopefully will never need his services again.”
“After dealing with another lawyer’s BS I was so glad to have Chris Black on my side. He deals with criminal cases daily and knows the players, the process, the ins and outs and how the prosecutors choose their strategies. Thank GOD my friend and attorney Jerry B. recommended Chris to me. Chris made me feel at ease. I was never charged, I believe thanks to Chris’ communication with the detective. Case not done, but ive got a solid advocate if it comes back. Trust Chris.”
“Mr Black defended me in a DV case last year. He is a very knowledgeable, professional and reliablle lawyer. He is also a very compassionate caring human being. He helped my during the most difficult time of my life and I consider myself very lucky for having such a strong lawyer by my side. He is an excellent lawyer who stands by his clients to defend their right with his outmost abilities. I feel very confident to recommend him as a top criminal lawyer.”
“All I can say it’s very simple… he is the BEST !
We went trough a very difficult case. We saw and consulted many different lawyers before him, but they just reviewed the case, studied it for a day (maybe) charged their fees and returned our case saying “their specialty is not for this case”
Finally we found him. We called late but He had the heart to accept to see us. He was very frank, honest and never had hided fees. He told us at front what to expect to spend.
Professionally, what can I say? He stood up for us and came out with a great solution to our case. We hired him ONLY one day before the court day!
This just speaks out for itself …He knows what he’s doing and he does it magnificent!There are no words to express his professionalism, honesty, politeness, experience and knowledge as an Attorney at Law.”
“I’ve worked with Chris for 23+ consecutive months. Chris’s experience in both criminal and family law have served me well in my dealings with the state. He has always provided me with valuable advice and is always responsive with email from both my self and everyone else involved in my cases. He always keeps my up to date with everything going on, and never makes a decision that will affect my cases without consulting me first. His rate is very reasonable and Chris has been flexible when I’ve had trouble keeping up with payments. It has been almost 2 years and he has stuck through it all with me. He has definitely been more than just a lawyer for me, he has also been a good friend.”
“Christopher really helped me out during a tough time. I found myself in an unenviable position and Christopher was professional throughout the process. He kept me informed of what was going on and was always thorough.
I appreciated his frankness and candor while giving me peace of mind. Basically if Chris said it was going to be ok, i knew it would be and vice versa. Hopefully I’ll never need to use him again but would highly recommend. Felt lucky that he was my lawyer.”
“Always spent the time I needed to understand the circumstances. He did everything possible to make sure I benefited through our experience. For me, I never was charged. He was the best thing that ever happened to me, through one of the toughest times in my life.”
“Chris did a great job for me. I’m really pleased with all of his efforts and the results he helped me obtain.
Previous to hiring Chris, I was represented by a lawyer from the Federal Public Defenders Office. My lawyer had decided I was guilty, my case was not defendable and I should just accept the prosecutor’s plea agreement as written. I would have been entering a plea within months of arrest and I am certain the results would have just followed the federal sentencing guidelines resulting in two to three years of prison time. This would have given me little time to settle my personal matters prior to going to prison.
Immediately upon talking with Chris I was relieved in the change in attitude he brought to my case. Chris was always available to me and responded to my calls and emails quickly. Chris worked directly with me to obtain the necessary background information and other facts of the case. Although, I eventually pled guilty to one of the charges, Chris helped in the characterization of my actions and presented all of my information in the most favorable light. I’m sure that this approach severely reduced my eventual sentence. I received a sentence of months instead of years as a result of these efforts.
Additionally, the year of continuances allowed me to get all of my personal matters attended to prior to reporting to prison. I’m now in a much better personal state because of these effort.
I recommend anyone facing a criminal prosecution to immediately contact Chris for a consultation. I am sure he can be a valuable asset to you and your case.”
“Christopher Robert black is the best lawyer I have ever hired. I would recommend him to all my family and friends and all the people out there. You can’t go wrong with Christopher Robert black. His an awesome lawyer if I in trouble again I would definitely hired him again. Thank you Christopher Robert black for all your good hard work.”
“Mr. Black was very helpful in getting my case closed as quickly as possible. Chris walked me through the different options and possibilities and made me feel confident that I would not have a blemish on my record. Consultations and fees were very reasonable. I will use Chris Black for all my Attorney needs. Thank you Mr. Black.”
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
We serve clients throughout Washington including those in the following localities: King County including Bellevue, Kent, and Seattle; Benton County including Kennewick; Chelan County including Wenatchee; Clallam County including Port Angeles; Grays Harbor County including Aberdeen; Kitsap County including Port Orchard; Kittitas County including Ellensburg; Pierce County including Tacoma; Skagit County including Mount Vernon; Snohomish County including Everett; Spokane County including Spokane; Thurston County including Olympia; Whatcom County including Bellingham; and Yakima County including Yakima.