Vern Smith took care of it brilliantly! Posted by DUI Client prior to 2014.
Had the misfortune of forgetting my firearm in my bag before boarding a plane! Vern Smith took care of it brilliantly!
I was a first year UW student, heading from Seattle to Hawaii for some much needed sun. I had recently brought my pistol up (properly and legally) from Florida to Seattle. In a hurry to catch my flight, I had forgot to take the handgun out of my bag (it was still in it's FAA approved safe/carrier). I went through security with a Glock 9mm in my carry on! Can you get any more dense than that? Of course, it took all of 30 seconds before police started racing to the security point and before they could ask me a question I realized what was happening.
After missing my flight, the port police had clearly wanted to question me. I answered a few basic questions before letting them know I wasn't a criminal and that I was uncomfortable speaking without an attorney. I received charges 2 weeks later in the mail. Vern Smith came HIGHLY recommended so I setup an appointment. He agreed to take the case, and after watching him walk into the courtroom, I knew I had a well respected attorney. He knew EVERYONE, and EVERYONE had absolute respect for Vern. Most impressive was how much the judge seemed to respect Vern. It was alsmost as though MR. Smith was His Honor. After 30 minutes in the courtroom, I walked out with the charges dismissed. I had to agree to a minor amount of community service for my stupidity, but a clean record was the result!
You will not find an attorney that is more highly regarded, and capable! If Vern Smith says he will take your case, it's because he is confident that he can help you! He will not take your money if he doesn't feel he can make a difference! Don't get me wrong, if he takes your money, it won't be the lowest cut rate around! You will pay a premium that's well worth it!
Vern Smith IS THE BEST! Posted by client prior to 2014
I found myself in the unfortunate position of having 2 outstanding DUI warrants dating back to 1998 and 1999. I had used Vern in the past as counsel and went right to him after my arrest in April of 2013 for these very old charges. Vern is so knowledgeable, competent, and was vigilant in his defense of me and always made me feel confident that we would get a favorable outcome in my case. In the end, he was able to get both charges reduced and the judgement was quite minimal considering I was facing some serious jail time along with other very costly requirement that go along with DUI. Vern fought hard for me and was able to get a very reasonable deal considering the Prosecutor wanted to throw the book at me and did not want to deal at all! I would recommend Vern 1000% for anyone facing these difficult circumstances, and know that he will work extremely hard for you, is always accessible, and will always keep you informed every step of the way. I was also very impressed with the respect shown to him by the other attorneys, prosecutors and Judges and the rapport that Vern has developed within the legal community is to be admired! Just know, when choosing a DUI attorney, Vern Smith IS THE BEST!
5 Out of 5 Stars! Posted by client prior to 2014.
Vern Smith has the experience and expertise I was looking for to defend me on my second DUI charge in a decade. The previously DUI lawyer I hired sold me on his ability in the interview but the moment he got my check he began trying to convince me to take a plea deal. This was not the case with Mr. Smith. I did a significant amount of research before I came to the decision to hire Vern Smith as I wanted a lawyer that was going to work hard on my case all the way through trial. Long story short; Due to Mr. Smith's experience the D.O.L. licensing case was Dismissed. The result of the Motions hearing due to Vern's extensive knowledge was that we won 4 of 6 motions. And finally in the end Vern stood by me for nearly 6 hours as the jury deliberated before retuning a verdict of NOT GUILTY. All through the 7 month process I could tell that Vern was very well respected by the other defense Lawyers in the court rooms, was respected by and well liked by the Judges we dealt with, and was definitely respected by, (and my have been intimidating to), the prosecutors who doubled up to take on Vern. I hope to never have the need again but for anyone else I recommend Vern 1000%
Contacting Vernon A. Smith was one of the best decisions that I've ever made. Posted by client prior to 2014.
He was very responsive and kept me well informed, while minimizing the amount of time I had to spend dealing with the issue in and out of court. Vern's ability to minimize the disruption to my life was absolutely fantastic, and greatly appreciated by me, since I have a ridiculously busy life.
The legal process, my options and the possible likely outcomes of those options were clearly explained to me, and updated as the case progressed. Vern's dedication and expertise were absolutely vital. I had a rather complicated case and Vern knew exactly how to deal with it. He expertly assessed and responded to the situation every step of the way. He is very professional, and has excellent technical knowledge which he applies and explains with great skill.
Vern's abilities in the courtroom were amazing to watch; he knew exactly what to say, as well as when and how to say it. Thanks to him the charges against me were dismissed, and I will never forget the skill with which he was able to dismantle the prosecution's case. I'm sure that everybody else in court that day was wishing that Vern was there to defend them. And I know that I am one of many people who are quite thankful to Vern for getting the best results possible. His knowledge of DUI law is astounding, and I doubt that you will be able to find anyone with more knowledge in that particular area. Furthermore, his abilities to minimize his clients stress and fight for them in the courtroom are unsurpassed in my experience. So if you find yourself in need of legal services I would absolutely recommend that you call Vern right away. If you are facing serious consequences you really shouldn't risk it with anyone else!
When it became clear, at the 25th hour, that my client was going to need representation far beyond the scope of the public defender's office, I called Vernon A. Smith as was recommended to me by another colleague.
Both he and I were unsure as to whether the court would allow a change in representation at such a late date. Vernon agreed to take the case, contingent upon whether the court allowed him to step in. Vern immediately started making the necessary calls, making his presence known both to the public defender's office, and the prosecutors. The following week, we all went to court. Vern not only had himself made Primary Council, but brought with him new information on my clients case, that had been overlooked in the initial preliminary motions. This information, made it mandatory for the court to lower one of the charges, to a lesser charge, and in the end find my client Not Guilty on all other charges.
Mr. Smith is Schooled in all there is to know about DUI/DWI legal-ease. More importantly however, is his ability to read people and situations. It is this gift, which makes him truly extraordinary at his profession.
To say that Vern is a Master of his Craft, would be a vast understatement. I whole heartedly recommend Vernon A. Smith to all in need of the best.
Vern has defended my wife and I in separate DUI cases and neither of us have a DUI on our record. In my case, I failed field sobriety tests and blew a .22. I was guilty. I was also involved in a boating accident where, while in command of a large power boat, I collided with a dark blue sailing vessel with dark blue sails that was improperly lighted at night. Naturally the state saw fit to prosecute the big bad power boat that “ran into” to poor little sail boat. In this case I was not impaired and the fact that there was no field sobriety test or blood alcohol test worked both for and against me. While there was no evidence of guilt, there was no evidence of innocence either. The state accused me of Boating While Under the Influence and then, on the day the trial began, added the charge of Reckless Endangerment. The case went to jury trial and after Vern shot gaping holes in all nine of the prosecution's witnesses including three police officers and mopped the court room floor.
I have had the severe misfortune of having to use MR. Smith 3 times since 2004. The good news is that in 3 DUI arrests, I do not even have 1 DUI on my record thanks to Vern Smith! One of my arrests happened to be a high profile arrest involving my Ferrari F430 that was recorded coming across the 520 Bridge. Even though this arrest was played over and over in the local media for a week, Vern was still able to get my DUI charge dropped at trial. Most times paying a DUI attorney is sunken money. They do little if anything more for you than a public defender. That is simply not the case with MR. Smith. Vern knows DUI's better than anyone in this state and it shows in the courtroom. During one of my Trials we went off the record and the judge commented to me: “you are very fortunate to have MR. Smith as your attorney; MR. Smith is a true professional. He is one of the best in the state at what he does, if not THE BEST!” That is a direct quote from the JUDGE! Hire Vern Smith!
I highly recommend Vern Smith to anyone that is currently facing a charge of DUI, or other potential ramifications due to drinking and driving. Vern represented me during 2008. He was there every step of the way, and was always honest and up front with regards to the options that I had. He's persistent, professional, and has years of experience to assist his clients, and that certainly provided me comfort while he was my legal representation. Like everyone else in this predicament I researched and interviewed several potential lawyers, yet after having gone through all of it, I am relieved that I elected to go with Vern.
I recently needed Mr. Smith's expertise in a DUI case. I sat down with many potential lawyers and had them review the specifics of my case and all of them recommended that I take my concerns to Vern. I immediately called Mr. Smith and was promptly given a time to meet face to face. I was impressed with Vern's professionalism and ability to explain the legal process and the expectations of my case. I hired Vern on the spot. The entire legal process was handled flawlessly. I am very thankful for Mr. Smith's efforts and expertise. If you need representation for a DUI look no further than Mr. Vern Smith. Thank You, Vern.
He is very informative, organized, confident, and trustworthy. I felt very confident having him as my attorney and would never go elsewhere for representation. He also successfully completed my case to where we wanted to be!