If you’ve learned that law enforcement is investigating you (but no charges have been filed yet) you may be in the middle of what’s known as a pre-charge investigation. For many people in Seattle and across Washington, this stage is confusing and stressful because everything feels uncertain. Understanding the possible outcomes of a pre-charge investigation [...]

Being contacted by law enforcement before formal criminal charges are filed can be confusing and intimidating. This stage of the criminal law process is often called a pre-charge investigation (or sometimes a “pre-filing investigation”). It is one of the most critical phases in the criminal justice process, and what you do, or don’t do, during [...]