I enjoy working with people. You know, the clients, it is great to get to know the clients. You become friends with them, because I am working closely with them.
I am in contact with them all the time, I am sending them emails, I am calling them. Hey, how’s your treatment going? How is your recovery? I am involved in their life for three years at a time. And if it goes to court, even longer.
When I can work with a client, and get to know them. Really, you know, you make friends. You make these relationships and you are helping out a person the whole time. To get them a settlement that they are happy with.
I enjoy working with people to settle their case.
It is stressful up until that point. And there are certain points, just like in life, there are certain things that are very stressful, But then you work past them.
It is great to get to know the clients and help them get the settlement that they are happy with. That is what I enjoy most about it.
I am Logan Merrill and I do Personal Injury Law at Merrill Law.
Our Attorneys Work To Protect Your Rights.
We will:
Request all required documentation from the Court, Officers, Insurance Companies, Doctors.
Develop the best strategy for your injury case.
Address your case with the involved parties.
Notify you of any steps you need to do in the process.
Logan Merrill Getting Started. I graduated from College, here, I went to Central Washington University, Ellensburg. I was going to Law School, and I figured, it was time for an adventure.
I have never lived outside of Washington before. So I thought it might be fun to live somewhere else for 3 years. So I was looking out of State, I was not trying to go to school in Washington. I thought about going South. And I applied to some schools in the South, in South Carolina and North Carolina. I don’t know but, Rogers Williams is a great school in Rhode Island. It was a good fit, so that is where I ended up. I just settled on that one, it just seemed right to me. You know it was 3000 miles away, and I figured, why not.
So I lived out there, I went to law school there for three years. By the time 3 years was up, I was ready to come home. You know I lived in Washington my whole life, up until that point. I missed the west coast, I missed Washington, Washington is my home. So it was nice to come back and see everybody and live with my family and be close to people again.
Actually I moved back here for the pandemic.
When the pandemic hit, I moved back here and finished online. I graduated May of 2020.
Starting in the Family Business
My Brother and my Dad were working here for a few years. My Dad has been working here forever, and my Brother, Reece started and has been working here about 4 or 5 years. They had a spot open for me, you know. You are in law school and if you want to come work with us that is great. We can ad more of the family to the business. Which is great for me. I know a lot of people in law school are still worried about jobs. Like, oh, how am I going to find a job. It is so hard to find.
But it was kind of nice to have family back home. With me, that I was able to come home and join the Family business. Especially with my Dad and my Brother, so experienced in the area and in the community, that it is nice to kind of come back and join the practice. They do Criminal Defense and mostly speeding tickets and things like that. My Dad also had a little bit of a Personal Injury business going at the time.
Fitting in
I have been here for a little over a year now. I fit in pretty well, we have a paralegal here, Dorian, who I work very closely with. We work together all the time. She is teaching me the ropes. It is nice to have two of us down here working on the Personal Injury side, growing that business for the firm.
I am Logan Merrill and I do Personal Injury Law at Merrill Law.
Even though Rick is planning his retirement, we will still be here at Merrill Law to continue to help you.
“But now you know, we’re changing over to Merrill Law. I think that’ll be fine but it’s definitely a challenge. There’s no question about that because it’s, you know, it’s in my name all this time. Had I thought, back you know when I first started I would have obviously changed the name of the firm.
Reece and Logan
Reece has been with me quite a while now, five years or five plus years I think. So he’s got his own following in the community. A lot of people know him and he’s got a good reputation. So I think that will help. I think Reece is pretty comfortable talking in front of people and Logan that’s kind of not his thing. So in Criminal Law there’s a lot of in court. You know we talk in front of people every day and I think Reece kind of likes that. I don’t think Logan does. Logan is really good with people one-on-one and you know is a very nurturing person. Reece is too, but different personalities. I think Reece is fine talking in front of people I don’t think Logan really is. So I think it’s a good niche for both of them.
I don’t think there’ll be a lot of crossover. I don’t know, who knows, time will tell. You know, I think that the boys are going to have to kind of carve it out for themselves. My wife is kind of helping me with that. You know I have things, I think this is what we should do, which we should do. And she’s, you know she’s helping me with, “You know it’s kind of going to be their business. They’ve kind of got to carve out what they’re going to do.” You know, I carved out what I did. Now it’s kind of going to have to be them, It’s not going to be me so and then. it’s a little bit hard but I understand that. They’ve kind of got to do what they’re going to do.
Now when I started, I just, I quit my job and put an ad in the local yellow pages and hoped my phone would ring. You know and I had three kids at the time. and you know I was married and had three kids. So looking back it was probably a stupid decision, but you know you just gotta have faith. And we just poured forward and now we are where we are.
So you know my oldest boy, he went to the University of Washington Business School and got out, the economy was so bad that he couldn’t find a job. So he thought oh let’s go to law school. I have some time, So he did and then Reece kind of did too and then Logan after him so. It was never really planned but when Reece got out of law school he came to work for me kind of part time and he just kind of stayed and then Logan just kind of joined. But it really just kind of happened. But no, I never really thought about it before. I’ll tell you the truth. I mean, it does feel good now that I can, you know kind of leave them with something.
And you know my father, my father completed the seventh grade, worked labor jobs his whole life. Um so he you know helped me get through college and all that so it’s a completely different feel for us really.”
Reece Merrill Talks About Why You Should Hire An Attorney
Why Hire An Attorney
Reece Merrill talks about the differences in the courts and why hire an attorney to help you with a traffic ticket or criminal case.
Well, it is important to hire an attorney who can help you with a ticket. You do not want it going on your insurance. You do not want it raising your rates. especially if you drive for a living. If you have a commercial drivers license or something like that, it could jeopardize your career.
The Law
It would be better if the law were self-explanatory, and you would not need somebody that understood the court rules and understood the RCW and all of that. And how they interact with each other. But the reality is that it is not that way. It is a little more complex than it would seem on its face. I think a lot of times that people do not understand that an infraction is separate from a crime. So the rules of criminal evidence don’t actually apply to an infraction. An infraction is a civil matter.
Civil or Criminal
It is important to separate Civil Law from Criminal Law. And not act as though an infraction case is being handled the same way as a criminal case would be handled. For example, you do not have a right to an attorney provided by the state for a civil hearing, as you would for a criminal case.
Available Information
I think part of it is that if there is all the information, that there is access to everybody, right there in their pocket all the time, It seems like we should be able to figure anything out. But that does not mean that I am giving myself surgery, or treating my own broken arm. I still go to a doctor, even though I could probably Google it and watch YouTube Videos on how to put a cast on. But it is not going to show you the individual circumstances.
Unique Circumstances
People won’t have the knowledge of how an individual court operates. They are not uniform across the board. The jurisdictional difference is very important to every case. It is important to have a handle on what jurisdictions care about which elements of the law. And which ones really work the best in specific jurisdictions. They are not uniform across the board.
What works in one does not necessarily work in another one. And they each have their own individual rules and procedures for how they file things and how they process things. It is important to know that the city courts are not necessarily going to handle something the same way that the county court will, the city attorney is not going to handle something the same way the county attorney will handle something. And by that I mean the city attorney represents the city and the county attorney represents the state.
Why Hire an Attorney
You know I have been in court a lot and I have sat in court and I have watched other people do it for a long time. I take notes and I keep mental track of what works and what doesn’t work with specific people. What works with one person is not going to be the same as what works with a different person. Every Human is going to have a different reading or interpretation of the Law and the Rules.
Reece Merrill talks about the Positive Covid Changes
Positive Covid Changes-Virtual Negotiations
Reece Merrill talking about the positive Covid changes. At first it made things a lot more difficult, because it used to be a lot more talking in person with the State’s attorney and the City attorney. Figuring out, you know, their thoughts on the case. What their ideal scenario for the case is, and what yours is, and negotiating back and forth. It was a lot more hands on, face to face contact. Covid has obviously changed that.
Positive Covid Changes-Virtual Court
Now almost all the courts are on Zoom, so there is a lot more talking on the phone and a lot more emailing back and forth about cases. At first it was a little bit difficult of a transition, but now everyone is fairly used to it.
Positive Covid Changes more Interactions with Clients
If you come in the office, without an appointment, you can probably talk to an attorney in the office either me, Logan or Rick. It has been a lot nicer to have more interaction face to face with clients. To have them come into the office for hearings on Zoom and things like that. So that part has been really beneficial to the practice and interacting with our clients.
Positive Covid Changes-Streamlined Court
I think the Court is probably going to realize that there are things they can do more efficiently and there are things, like zoom calendars that will probably be here to stay forever. That is at least my hope. It saves me a lot of time driving to court.
Reece Merrill talks about the positive experience of joining the family business.
It has been a pretty positive experience, to come in to the firm and work with my Dad.
I did not really know what I wanted to do when I was in High School, for the first couple of years of High School. Then when I was 15 or 16, I made this plan that I would go to College and Law School. That I would work in the family business.
I think that this would be a difficult job to learn if you did not have somebody helping you along the way. Now it has been quite a few years, I feel pretty comfortable with it. Even still, it is nice just to be able to walk down the hall, and ask for advice.
If I have a Question.
Most of the time, I will read it and say or I will see an issue and I will make sure, I will walk in and say, I don’t think this is a legally valid stop, or I don’t see that there is probable cause in this situation, or something like that. And it is good to get a second set of eyes to actually look. Especially a significantly more experienced second set of eyes on it.
Helping People.
I would say that the upside of being an attorney is working with different people. Helping people with their situations that they probably need some help through.
It is hard to look at the law and the court rules and to be able to apply it, without understanding the case law and how each court operates. It is good to have somebody on your side to defend you who knows the rules.
And that is really what I like to do, I like to help people in this situation and advise them of the best course of action for them to take.
I do primarily, Criminal Defense, any speeding ticket, any DUI, reckless driving, assault cases, Any time anyone is charged with a crime, I will help them.
We want working with us to continue to be a positive experience for our clients in the Future.
My Dad is getting ready to retire. He is counting down the days. He has got a calendar on his wall. He is marking the days off. So he is going to retire in about a year. Well, he plans on it. I always tease him and say, no you are not going to know what to do when you retire. You’ll be back, but I don’t know if he will.
But the Future is Reece and I.
We are going to be doing this. He will be doing mostly Criminal Law, just kind of how it is now, and I will be doing Personal Injury.
When I was little, we would go out somewhere, even the store and someone would recognize him or say Hi to him. And he knows everybody in the community because he’s been here for so long and helped so many people.
So it is kind of humbling, I guess you might say, to be out and say “I gotta live up to this guy, this guy’s persona, and this guy’s character.”
Everybody knows him, but you know it definitely helps us out and it is nice to be able to learn from him.
If I have a question
He knows all about what I am doing every day. He has been doing it for 30 years, so. The other day I had a question, and I was stumped. Well I don’t know what to do in this situation, and so I just went upstairs, into his office, poked my head in and said this is the situation. What am I supposed to do here? What are my options? What would you do in this situation? What should I do? And things like that.
It is nice to be able to have that person that I can go to, that has been doing it for so long, that knows exactly what I am doing everyday, that I can go in and get help from. And he is so supportive. He has been supportive our whole lives.
It is not really intimidating for me to go in there and ask him. You know sometimes if you are working at a big firm with a big shot attorney, you might be intimidated to walk in and ask him things. But his door is always open, he is always there. It is nice to be able to pop in and ask a question if I need to.
He is definitely very well known and respected. Especially around the community, I mean a lot of our clients are returning clients and referrals.
Hopefully it is not really going to change much.
My dad is going to retire. But it will be Reece and I doing the same thing and helping everybody out. And hopefully, you know, if all goes well, we don’t really see much of a difference.
Rick Merrill’s Retirement Calendar is keeping track of the months until Rick will retire. Reece and Logan will still be here to help you.
“I’ve got, I got nine Fridays left. I’m going to start working four days a week. Anyway it’s (my Retirement Calendar) right up on my wall, I can see it right over there. I check off the months.
So you know, as much as I think I’m going to leave on a certain date. I’m going to go home and get my yard to scream and yell and say oh hooray! You know, I suspect that I’ll probably be hanging around for a while.
You know. Just to help out. They know they can call me anytime they want to, if they need help. I’ll come in and work. Sometimes you get in the bind, you have to be in more than one Court at a time, you know. I told Reece, no problem I’ll come in and take care of that for you.”
Rick Merrill’s Retirement Calendar
Even though Rick is planning his retirement, we will still be here at Merrill Law to continue to help you.
“Together we are Merrill Law. I am Rick Merrill, I am an attorney in Everett, I became an attorney 30 years ago to try to help people. I am very proud to say that two of my sons have joined the law practice as attorneys.
Oh Hi, I am Reece Merrill Attorney.
I am Logan Merrill Attorney.
Go ahead and come by with any questions that you have about a DUI, Reckless Driving, Speeding Ticket, Auto Accidents anything like that we are here to help you.
We practice in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, King, Pierce, Grant, Thurston, Island Counties.
Stop in at the office or give us a call and we will be able to help you out. We are at 3625 Colby Ave in Everett, Washington. It is a converted old house that we turned into an office.
Together we are Merrill Law.”
Rick, Reece and Logan Merrill, Together we are Merrill Law! Here to help you with Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Traffic Tickets.
Safety Belt Laws in Everett and Snohomish County, Washington
In Everett and across Snohomish County, Washington State law mandates that all adults must wear a safety belt while operating or riding in a motor vehicle. This safety measure is crucial to reducing injuries and fatalities in vehicle accidents, and local law enforcement takes it seriously.
Who Must Wear a Safety Belt?
Every individual over the age of 16—whether they are the driver or a passenger—must wear a seat belt that is properly secured. Failure to do so may result in a traffic infraction, which could appear on your driving record. It’s important to note, however, that under Washington law (RCW 46.61.688), this infraction is not reported to insurance companies or employers, offering some protection against potential rate hikes or employment issues.
Responsibility of Drivers for Passengers Under 16
Drivers in Snohomish County must ensure that all passengers under the age of 16 are properly secured. This includes making sure children are in the appropriate car seats or safety restraints, based on their age, height, and weight.
Medical Exemptions
There are some exemptions to the seat belt law. For example, a licensed physician may provide a written verification if a driver or passenger is unable to use a seat belt for medical or physical reasons. If you live in Everett or Snohomish County and believe you might qualify for this exemption, consult your doctor for documentation that you can present to law enforcement if needed.
Child Safety Belt and Restraint Laws
Washington State has strict guidelines to protect children on the road. If you’re driving through Everett or anywhere in Snohomish County, it’s important to comply with the following child safety laws:
Under 2 Years of Age: Children must be secured in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the height or weight limit of the seat’s manufacturer. Rear-facing seats provide the best protection for infants and toddlers in the event of an accident.
2-4 Years of Age: Once your child outgrows their rear-facing seat, they must transition to a forward-facing car seat, remaining in this restraint until they exceed the height or weight limit as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Under 4’9″ in Height: Children under 4 feet 9 inches tall are required to be properly secured in a booster seat or other child restraint system that complies with U.S. Department of Transportation standards. This system must be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and your vehicle’s manual.
Under 13 Years of Age: For children under 13, the back seat is the safest place in the car. Washington law requires children to sit in the back seat when possible.
Law Enforcement and Penalties
Law enforcement officers in Everett and Snohomish County have the authority to visually inspect child safety restraints during a traffic stop. They will confirm whether the car seat or booster is appropriate for the child’s age, height, and weight and verify that it has been properly installed. If you are found in violation of the child restraint laws, you could be issued a traffic infraction.
However, there is some leniency for first-time offenders. According to RCW 46.61.687, if you are cited for a violation of the child restraint law, you can have the ticket dismissed by providing proof to the court within seven days that you have acquired an appropriate restraint system—assuming you have not had a prior dismissal for the same issue.
Stay Safe in Everett and Beyond
Whether you’re driving around downtown Everett or commuting through Snohomish County, following Washington’s safety belt and child restraint laws not only keeps you and your passengers safe, but it also helps you avoid costly fines and legal consequences. For legal advice on traffic violations or to understand more about your rights and obligations, Merrill Law is here to help. Contact us today for expert legal support.
There are many ways an experienced traffic attorney can fight your ticket for you.
Call us now
To ask additional questions or to hire an experienced attorney who has deep connections with the local legal system.
Here we are at the beginning of a New Year, the eagerly awaited 2021.
We stopped for a minute to reflect on this year, this 2020, that has been with us for 365 long days. As we stopped we could not help but smile as we thought of each one of you.
So many things have taken place that have seemed like mountains to climb.
We wanted you to know that we appreciate you.
Thank you for your kindness, as we invented a new way to work from home and the office.
Thank you for your understanding, as we embarked on a new adventure of Courts in the digital age.
Thank you for the great gift of your referral, for us to help a friend of yours.
Thank you for your support of small business.
Thank you for taking your time to review our services.
Thank you for enabling us to continue to help others.
Thank you for your smile, as viewed in your eyes twinkling above your mask.
Thank you for your kind words.
Thank you so much from all of us at the Law Office of Rick Merrill,
We truly wish each and everyone a Wonderful New Year filled with Blessing, Joy, and brimming with Thankfulness and renewed Hope.
We are happy to inform you that Rick’s son, Attorney Logan Merrill, has come to work for Rick. He will be focusing on Auto Accident Personal Injury cases.
EDUCATION
Logan Graduated from Lake Stevens High school in 2012. After which I played baseball at Saint Martin’s University for one year. I Graduated from Central Washington University in 2017 with a major in Criminal Justice. I then moved to Providence, Rhode Island where I attended Roger Williams University School of Law, from which I graduated in May of 2020.
INTERNSHIPS
I interned here, at the office, in the summer of 2019. In Spring of 2020, I interned with the legal department at Gilbane Building Company in Providence, Rhode Island.
PROFESSIONAL GOALS
Work as hard as I can for our clients to give them the best representation possible.
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With all the changes that are around us, we want to set your mind at ease and share with you some of the ways that we are making it safe for you to come into the office.
We are following the official mask and safety procedures.
According to the new Washington State Rules we can assist clients in the office who are wearing masks. We have Hand Sanitizer available and have installed shields. We have also marked the floor to help you keep 6 feet of distance.
We are happy to help our customers who are not able to wear a mask.
Please call the office so that we can address your case in one of several different ways. Some options include Email, Fax, Zoom meetings or a porch meeting outside.
Hiring For A Case
Appointments
Zoom Court Hearings
Thank you for helping to keep us all safe and healthy
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We are here to help you with Traffic infractions, Criminal Defense, DUI Defense and Auto Accident Personal Injury cases.
We Care About Your Health.
We have added hand sanitizer stations, face masks for employees and shields to protect your health and ours. Frequently touched locations are being sanitized on a regular basis.
You are welcome to wear your mask when you visit us.
If you are not feeling well, please call the office, we will do our best to assist you through phone or computer options.
Many courts are conducting business through various virtual platforms.
We have arranged a station for our Attorney to attend court in a virtual manner with our clients who do not have digital resources available to them.
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I went into Private Practice and started this business nearly 30 years ago.
I have 4 children, each one of them has worked for me, at one time or another. The older two have gone on to other things.
Right now I have one son, Reece, working for me as an attorney. He was born just after I graduated from Law School. My youngest son, Logan, just graduated from Law School and will be joining the practice this summer.
We are here to help.
I grew up in a small town in Eastern Washington. It is the kind of place where you try to help as many people as you can. We work hard to do this at the office as well. We have been helping people with Traffic Tickets, DUI, Criminal Defense and Auto Accident Personal Injury cases.
If you have a legal question that we can not assist you with, we will try to connect you to someone who can. We do our best to help your family, as my family has been helped.
Please contact us now to ask additional questions or to hire an experienced attorney who has deep connections with the local legal system.
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We know how easy it is to be overwhelmed with all of the concerns surrounding Covid 19, including court dates that keep changing.
There is a light in all of this. We will get through it all. Perhaps, one step at a time, but let us put your mind at ease where we can.
Your case is important to us.
You can rest assured our office is focused on staying up to date on the case that you hired us to look after.
We are actively checking for additional court changes, filing required documents with the court, speaking to the court and the prosecutor about developing changes.
What is important about that?
This means that you can focus on your health and family in this time.
We are here for you.
If you have questions, or need help with a Traffic Ticket, DUI, Criminal Defense or Auto Accident Personal injury.
Contact us now to ask additional questions or to hire an experienced attorney who has deep connections with the local legal system.
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