45+ Years
Of Combined Experience
In a close-knit island community like Mercer Island, an accusation travels quickly through schools, workplaces, and social circles. For residents who have built successful careers, a criminal allegation immediately puts professional licenses, security clearances, and community standing on the line. King County prosecutors pursue Mercer Island cases with the full resources of the county, regardless of how minor the charge may seem. Acting immediately with counsel who knows this community, its courts, and its prosecutors from the inside is the critical step in protecting your freedom and the future you have worked so hard to build.
Mercer Island’s court setup is straightforward by Eastside standards, with every criminal matter staying within the King County system and no split jurisdiction or uncertainty about which prosecutor will handle your case. Misdemeanors and infractions committed on the island, including Domestic Violence Assault in the Fourth Degree, theft under $750, minor in possession, and disorderly conduct, are filed at the Mercer Island Municipal Court, located in the Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Felony charges originating on the island, including assault, robbery, sex crimes, and drug delivery offenses, are prosecuted at the King County Superior Court in Seattle. Because every Mercer Island case stays within a unified court system, there is no confusion or transfer between county prosecutors or procedures, yet the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office brings considerable resources to every charge it files.
We provide focused, strategic defense across a wide range of criminal allegations in Mercer Island and throughout King County.
The Mercer Island Police Department is a small, precise department serving a low-crime community. When they open an investigation, it is thorough and moves quickly. If you have reason to believe you are being looked at, getting an attorney now is your best window to protect yourself before charges are filed.
On an island where professional reputation and community standing are inseparable, a sex crime allegation creates immediate consequences before any verdict is reached. These cases move to King County Superior Court and carry lifelong consequences, including mandatory registration and career changes.
A domestic violence arrest on Mercer Island triggers King County’s mandatory booking policy and an automatic no-contact order, which can bar you from your own home overnight. Because everything flows through one county system, the process moves fast. We act immediately to challenge the allegations and fight to restore your access to your home and family.
Mercer Island’s professional community (tech, healthcare, finance, executive roles) means an old conviction closes real doors. We guide eligible clients through the King County process to vacate convictions and clear their records, opening up employment and housing opportunities that may currently be out of reach.
Theft and burglary allegations in Mercer Island’s residential and retail areas are prosecuted seriously by King County. We examine the evidence closely, challenge the prosecution’s case, and build a defense focused on protecting your future from the lasting impact of a dishonesty crime.
Assault, robbery, and other violent crime charges bring the full weight of King County Superior Court resources against you. We bring aggressive, trial-tested defense strategies to Mercer Island clients facing these highest-stakes situations, fighting to protect your freedom at every turn.
A momentary lapse in judgment should not derail your life. We defend Mercer Island residents caught in undercover operations, pursuing the strongest possible outcome while protecting your reputation and keeping the matter as private as possible throughout King County proceedings.
These cases are prosecuted aggressively in King County Superior Court and carry devastating penalties. Defending against them requires deep knowledge of digital evidence, entrapment law, and sting operation procedures. Our firm brings that specific experience to every case.
We defend clients against possession, distribution, and production charges by building a strong defense that challenges digital forensics, search warrant validity, and the chain of custody throughout King County Superior Court proceedings.
The island’s proximity to I-90 means drug cases here often involve allegations of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver, not lower-level conduct. These felony charges are pursued aggressively. We challenge every aspect of the state’s case, including search procedures, confidential informants, and evidence handling.
King County’s juvenile justice system has its own courts, rules, and prosecutors focused on rehabilitation but still capable of imposing serious consequences. We defend Mercer Island families throughout juvenile proceedings with strategies built to protect your child’s long-term future, education, and record.
As a husband-and-wife firm, Court and Michelle Will bring over 45 years of combined experience to your defense. Michelle’s background as a former Deputy District Attorney provides direct insight into prosecutorial strategy, allowing us to build a defense that anticipates the other side’s every move. We intentionally limit our caseload to ensure you receive focused, personal attention; you are never just a file in a stack. This approach, combined with our transparent flat-fee pricing, means you get dedicated, expert representation without any billing surprises. And because our office is right here on Mercer Island, your attorneys are accessible neighbors, not a firm you have to drive to reach.
Will & Will’s office is physically located at 9311 SE 36th St., Suite 102, right here on the island. This isn’t a satellite location or a shared conference room; it is our home base. Court Will grew up in the Pacific Northwest and always intended to return. When he and Michelle reopened Will & Will in the Seattle area, they chose Mercer Island as their home base, not as a business decision, but as a homecoming.
That physical presence matters. We know this community, we know the courts that serve the island, and we are available to our Mercer Island clients in a way a firm commuting from Seattle or Bellevue simply is not. When you are facing a crisis and need to speak with your attorney, you are calling an office on your island, staffed by a team that is part of your community.
Every Mercer Island defense we build starts with the same foundation: thorough preparation, early action, and a strategy tailored to King County courts.
We start by listening. In a confidential consultation, we review the details of your case, explain the charges you face, and lay out the potential paths forward within the King County system so you can make informed decisions.
We immediately get to work securing all police reports, witness statements, and physical evidence. Our team analyzes every detail to identify weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and gather the facts that support your defense.
Armed with a strong defense and a deep understanding of the local prosecutors, we engage with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Our primary goal is always a pre-trial dismissal, a significant reduction in charges, or a diversion program that keeps a conviction off your record.
While most cases resolve before trial, we prepare every single case as if it will go before a judge or jury. This rigorous preparation ensures we are always negotiating from a position of strength and are ready to fight for a not-guilty verdict. Our focus is always on protecting your future.
We represent clients across Mercer Island, including residents in:
On Mercer Island, a professional reputation and quality of life are built over years; a criminal charge can threaten to dismantle both overnight. Despite the island’s low crime rate, prosecutorial leniency is not part of the equation. Every local case flows directly into the King County system, where prosecutors pursue Mercer Island charges with the full weight and resources of one of the largest counties in the state.
This is why local representation matters. Our firm is based on Mercer Island. We live here, work here, and are rooted in this community. We know the local officers who file the reports, the neighborhoods referenced in charging documents, and the King County courts where we appear regularly. Locally-rooted defense from attorneys who are part of this community is not just a benefit; it is a necessity for protecting your future.
Mercer Island Municipal Court handles all misdemeanors and infractions that occur on the island. All felony charges are filed at the King County Superior Court in Seattle. Because Mercer Island is entirely within King County, there is no dual-county complexity; one county system handles your entire case from start to finish.
Yes. On Mercer Island, where professional reputations are watched closely, and a single conviction can travel through neighborhood and workplace networks quickly, hiring counsel for a misdemeanor case is rarely optional. The maximum exposure on a gross misdemeanor is 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine, though a high amount of jail time is unlikely, especially for a first-time offender. The greater risk for most island clients is the conviction itself, which can compromise tech-industry employment, security clearances, and the kind of community standing that takes years to rebuild across the Greater Seattle Area. Bringing in counsel before a plea is entered often opens the door to a dismissal, an alternative resolution, or a deferred sentence that does not leave a permanent mark.
Following a DV arrest, you will be booked into the King County jail and held until a first appearance before a judge, typically the next business day. At that hearing, a no-contact order will almost certainly be issued, which can bar you from your own home. It is critical to have an attorney present at that first hearing to argue for your release and fight against overly restrictive conditions.
Many non-violent Class B and Class C felony convictions are eligible to be vacated after a waiting period (typically 5-10 years after the sentence is completed). Having a conviction vacated or expunged removes it from your record for most purposes, which is a significant advantage in Mercer Island’s competitive professional and housing markets.
A criminal charge threatens everything you have built on Mercer Island. Will & Will is here, literally on the island, and ready to defend you. Contact Will & Will, PLLC for a confidential, no-cost consultation to protect your freedom and your future.