Washington State gives people with criminal records the chance to expunge their records, giving them the opportunity to put an old conviction behind them so it no longer holds them back. But the process is complicated, and many eligible people are intimidated or...
Protecting Your Future With Compassion And Understanding
Year: 2021
Bill in Congress would encourage states to expunge marijuana convictions
Washington was one of the first states in the country to legalize marijuana. As more and more states pass similar laws, fewer Americans than ever will face the risk of getting arrested and charged with marijuana possession. But for those with a cannabis-related crime...
Why Restoring your Gun Rights Matters, even if you don’t want to own one
One of the consequences of getting convicted of any felony in Washington State is losing your right to own or possess a firearm. This is automatic under the law, though you can petition to restore your rights three years after a disqualifying misdemeanor conviction...
What convictions cannot be relieved by a CROP in Washington?
We have discussed Certifications of Restoration of Opportunity, commonly known as CROPs, before in this blog. To summarize, people with a criminal record who are denied an expungement or vacated conviction can seek a CROP as a way of relieving the lingering effects of...
What can I get removed from a Washington state criminal record?
In many cases, the secondary consequences of a criminal conviction can far outweigh the original punishment. Long after you’ve paid your fines or served your time, a conviction on your record may limit where you can live, work and volunteer. Because convictions can...
How much difference does an expungement make?
If you have ever been convicted of a crime, you probably realize your punishment didn’t end when everyone else thought it did. Convictions come with long-lasting secondary effects. They may limit your rights, and they can hurt your chances for good-paying jobs. How...
2020 wasn’t all bad: Cannabis possession arrests dropped precipitously
The pain of the pandemic and the economic slowdown it caused have ensured that 2020 will be remembered as a historically bad year, but it did have one or two bright spots. One of those bright spots is found in the recently released FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, which...
Activists announce Washington drug decriminalization effort
The war on drugs was launched by President Richard Nixon 50 years ago. Over the years, the casualties have mounted: millions have been arrested, convicted and served time in jails and prisons across America. Countless lives were stained with criminal records that...
Washington state Supreme Court, governor and lawmakers shaking up drug possession laws
Early this year, the Washington Supreme Court’s historic ruling on drug possession shook up the state’s legal system. In the court’s 5-4 decision in the State of Washington v. Blake, justices ruled that criminalizing unwitting drug possession is unconstitutional...
What is a Certificate of Discharge and How Do You Get One?
When you receive a felony conviction in Washington, you lose many of your civil rights. The Washington Court System explains that a Certificate of Discharge restores some of these rights, such as your right to vote or serve on a jury. Keep in mind, however, that a...