Criminal Defense Lawyers in Tacoma, Washington

Law Office of Timothy L. Healy

10116 36th Avenue Court Southwest
Suite 310
Lakewood, Washington 98499
USA

(253) 512-1140 or(888) 312-3093

www.piercecountycriminallawyer.com

Contact Law Office of Timothy L. Healy

Law Firm Overview FREE CONSULTATION

Law Office of Timothy L. Healy, 10116 36th Ave CT SW Suite 310, Lakewood, WA 98499, Phone: (253) 512-1140

The Law Office of Timothy L. Healy is dedicated to providing skilled legal representation to defendants of criminal cases throughout Western Washington. With more than fifteen years of experience in criminal trials, I will help you to understand your case and the accusations against you. My firm can give you the aggressive defense you need for a wide range of criminal charges.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense in Tacoma, an experienced criminal defense attorney can help. For more than 15 years, I have protected the rights of defendants in criminal cases throughout Washington. Contact me today at (888) 312-3093 for a free confidential consultation.

Areas of Law

Additional Areas of Law: Military Criminal Defense; Sexual Misconduct With a Minor; Indecent Liberties; Voyeurism; Custodial Sexual Misconduct; Molestation; Child Sex Abuse; Misdemeanor; Underage Drinking; Petty Theft;, Gangs; Criminal Mischief; Vandalism; Juvenile Internet Crimes; Stalking; Harassment; Criminal Trespass; Sexual Assault; Violation of Protection Orders; Sexual Misconduct; Lewd Acts.

Areas of Law Description

Our firm attains excellent results for clients accused with serious crimes. We represent people accused of the following state or federal offenses:

*Sex Crimes Defense including Sexual Misconduct / Lewd Acts
The term “sex crimes” covers an array of alleged conduct under Washington law, from exhibitionism to sexual assault or rape. Most sex crime offenses require proof of some specific intent or knowledge, and they often rely on DNA and other circumstantial evidence. The consequences of a prosecution for a sex crime, let alone a conviction, can be devastating. The assistance of an experienced sex crimes defense attorney is essential.

*Child Sexual Abuse Defense
An accusation of child sexual abuse carries immense social stigma. Prosecutions of such alleged crimes often rely less on the statements of the defendant or the alleged victim, and more on the statements and actions of police, social workers, and others who may, perhaps unintentionally, insert their own misconceptions or biases into the investigation. Defense of a child sexual abuse charge requires detailed analysis of the facts and evidence, as well as careful handling of public scrutiny of the matter.

*Assault & Battery Defense
These are two separate but related crimes. Assault requires intent to harm a person that puts the other person in reasonable fear of harm. Battery is the intent to cause harm, combined with actual physical force and contact with another person. In a sense, assault is “attempted battery.” Washington law assigns degrees of severity to assault charges based on the use of a weapon, the commission of other offenses, and the identity of the alleged victim. Some people accused of assault or battery may be able to claim self-defense, provided the use of force was proportionate to the threat.

*Juvenile Criminal Defense
A different set of rules applies for crimes allegedly committed by juveniles, people under the age of eighteen in Washington. The juvenile court system uses the same set of definitions as the adult system, but it runs prosecutions and trials differently. Trials occur before judges, not juries, who hear juvenile criminal cases every day. The focus is supposed to be on rehabilitation more than punishment. Common juvenile prosecutions in Tacoma involve underage drinking, drugs, vandalism, and gang activity. As a criminal attorney with experience in the Tacoma juvenile courts, I can help ensure that an alleged offense does not haunt a teenager long after they become an adult.

*Juvenile Internet Crimes Defense
Juvenile Internet crimes are a growing area in law enforcement, one that many teenagers do not yet understand. Actions online that may seem harmless to a teenager could have dire consequences in juvenile court. Threats made on Facebook, or by using other social media against teachers or other teens, could be prosecuted as a felony. Transmission of sexually-explicit photos via text message, often known as “sexting,” could expose a teenager to charges of child pornography.

*Domestic Violence Defense
A domestic violence case often involves a charge of assault and battery, with the added element of a family or domestic relationship between the defendant and the alleged victim. This includes people who are married, cohabiting, or dating, regardless of gender. These cases frequently involve intense emotions and sympathy for the alleged victim. They also rarely have witnesses beyond the defendant and the accuser, meaning that both the prosecution and the defense of such a case will rely upon the credibility of the people directly involved. A skilled defense attorney can cut through the emotional and social aspects of a case to examine the relevant evidence.

*Military Criminal Defense
Service members face issues related to their duties that civilians may never encounter. They also face their own distinct justice system under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Timothy L. Healy served as a United States Marine and has successfully handled legal matters for soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Naval Base Kitsap, and elsewhere in western Washington. The UCMJ covers much of the same conduct as state and federal civilian criminal statutes, but it differs in its procedures. A person accused of a crime, for example, has the right to present evidence and question witnesses during the investigation. Military criminal procedure is different than in civilian courts, and modes of punishment may be different.

*Order of Protection Violation Defense
Protection orders, also known in Washington as restraining orders, prohibit a person from certain conduct in relation to another person, such as directly contacting the person or going within a certain distance of the person. They are available through a civil legal process, meaning the subject of an order need not be the subject of a criminal prosecution. Protection orders are common features of domestic violence and sex crime cases. A violation of a protection order is a misdemeanor offense and can result in arrest, while an assault that violates an order is a felony. A person has a right to representation at a hearing to determine the duration and scope of a protection order. I can respond quickly to a protection order in order to determine the best way to minimize the order’s impact on your life, or to remove it entirely. In case of an alleged violation, I will act promptly to defend your rights.