Sealed records give a person the right to deny any involvement in criminal activity. The law requires the prosecutor to make a reasonable effort to notify any known victims of the offense which you are seeking to expunge or seal. Washington state expungement guide clear your criminal record. This brochure provides information about sealing and destroying court records, vacating convictions, and deleting criminal history records. A criminal record can affect your ability to find a job, get accepted into a college, or obtain housing. Once the court record is expunged, it is sealed or destroyed. Different states have different laws on criminal records. Washington state courts court forms vacatingsealing.
Seal any appellate court records, including appellate briefs. In maryland, records may be expunged from 1 motor vehicle administration files, 2 police files and 3 court and. Expungement information by state record expungement. The petition requesting an expungement must be filed with the court and a copy must be provided to the prosecuting attorney.
Felony legal formslegal documentskit for washington state. Thankfully the state of washington offers a vacating and record sealing option for prior individuals. Seegmiller petitioner petitions this court for an order of expungement of any and all records relating. To learn about state specific rules for expungement, click here. Washington expungement laws give a person the legal right to deny any involvement in a crime once the record has been expunged. An attorney who is experienced with record sealing can assist you. A guide to sealing and destroying court records, vacating convictions, and deleting criminal history records in washington state pdf this brochure provides information about sealing and destroying court records, vacating convictions, and deleting criminal history records. We offer a lowprice guarantee, and we serve all counties and courts in the state of washington. With convictions of crimes, you will need to meet certain requirements before an expungement will be granted. Expunge your washington criminal records licensed criminal record clearing attorneys serving all of washington you are here. A criminal record can take away your second amendment right to own a gun.
Juvenile convictions are controlled by a different statute. Expungement clerk washington county circuit court law enforcement center 215 s. Washington free criminal record clearing and expungement. An expunged court record does not give someone the right to possess a firearm. Vacating a record in washington takes the conviction off of the record and gives someone the right to say they do not have a criminal record. For more information regarding expungement of criminal. Vacate record of adult felony conviction in washington state. Administrative expungement an arrest adult or juvenile made contrary to law or by mistake may be expunged by applying to fdle, in one of the ways provided in statute and rule. Getting and reading criminal history reports in washington state this guide is designed to help people get, understand, and correct criminal history reports. Go to the clerk of criminal district courts office room 210 to obtain an expungement packet and request pertinent documents from court record. On this website you can download state mandatory court forms for use in washington state courts covering many legal issues. Deleting criminal history records in washington state pdf will be available. Washington state for offenses that took place onafter july. Criminal record sealing and expungement washington, d.
Download free printonly pdf or purchase interactive pdf version of this form. This is a pennsylvania form and can be use in washington local county. Apr 29, 2008 in washington state, deletion of nonconviction data makes it possible to delete the criminal records of a person who was arrested for but not convicted of a crime. In 2018, the legislature passed the washington fair chance act, rcw chapter 49. Also known as criminal records vacating forms expunction felony clearing or sealing a criminal record file washington state this is a set of criminal records vacating forms, with instructions, approved by the king county prosecutors office, to expunge get a criminal record cleared or sealed if you have satisfied the time requirement after read more. The record could possibly reappear in a later criminal court case. Filing a petition to expunge or seal a criminal record. Government and backgroundcheck databases may still list a crime in your file even if you were not found guilty of committing it. When the charges against you were dismissed or you were found not guilty, your chances of obtaining an expungement are greater. As noted above, the clerk of the court in which the vacation order is entered must immediately transmit the order vacating the conviction to the washington state patrol identification section and to the local police agency, if any, which holds criminal history information for the person who is the subject of. Quick overview of the criminal record clearing service in washington state. However, in washington, you cannot expunge a felony or any other criminal conviction. Sealing and destroying court records, vacating convictions.
To remove these harmful consequences, washington law allows people whose criminal records meet certain conditions to vacate their records. Virginia instr uctions fo rpetition for expungement pdf. Washington city justice court washington county, state of utah 111 north 100 east, washington ut 84780 4356566350 judge thad d. Vacate record of nondomestic violence misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor conviction in washington state. Several types of relief to seal or expunge criminal history records are available. The washington state patrol wsp expunges nonconviction information based on the criteria outlined in the revised code of washington rcw. Washington expungement laws allow you to get rid of that criminal baggage and start with a fresh slate. Wda is an association of washington state criminal defense attorneys and public.
Expungement deletion of nonconviction records spokane county. This brochure provides information on the current state. You must first pay all fines, fees, restitution and interest related to the conviction you are trying to expunge. Changing the way adult convictions are vacated in washington state. Petition for expungement of record in case of acquittal and. The records you receive may be expensive, incomplete, or. Expungement checklist, revised 317 washington state patrol. Affidavit in support of motion to order expungement of. It is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.
Expunge a misdemeanor in washington state kertchen law. In the state of washington, the process of getting your record expunged depends on whether you have a felony or a misdemeanor conviction. However, the second chance gap in washington expungements the share of people who arent accessing the vacation remedy because of hurdles in the petition process we suspect is large. How to expunge a criminal record in washington state. Washington city justice court washington county, state of. In washington state, expunging a record means to delete a record. Expunging or sealing adult criminal records in washington. This packet is meant to instruct you on the expungement. Washington state patrol, identification and criminal history section, po box 42633, olympia wa 985042633, or deliver personally to 3000 pacific avenue. Let the experienced seattle expungement lawyers at robertson law help you vacate your washington criminal record.
Seattle expungement lawyer expungement king county. The good news is that certain convictions can be removed from your washington state criminal record, so that they no longer cause damage to your reputation. The conviction you want to vacate cannot be for one of the following crimes. If the utah supreme court grants the expungement petition, the appellate courts will. Washington expungements technically called vacaturs the share of people. Nonviolent first offenders eligible for pretrial intervention, noncriminal disposition, and expungement. For help with sealing or expunging your criminal record, please call or visit. The rules are slightly different depending on if the conviction is for a class b felony or a class c felony. There are countless things in life that a criminal record can make difficult, and you likely understand that if youre living with one. The utah attorney generals office has 30 days from which they were served to object to the expungement andor to object to the proposed redacted opinion. Robertson law expungement lawyer seattle, washington. Expungement is the removal of records from public inspection.
Washington state courts court forms vacatingsealing records. Vacating a conviction or sealing a criminal record in washington requires filing a petition with the court in the county where the arrest or conviction occurred. If you have a criminal record outside of mn that you want sealed, you will need to look into that states laws and consider getting legal advice from an attorney that practices in that state. How to expunge a criminal record in washington state legal. You do not need to hire an attorney to complete this process, however an attorney should be consulted for any legal advice and to assist in individual situations. Washington expungement clear your washington records. Legal assistance w sealing, vacating or expunging records to help obtain. That is why many people seek to have their criminal records cleared. The process and steps for criminal expungement vary from state to state, and some states do not allow criminal records to be sealed. In some cases, a court hearing is required, after which a judge will decide whether to grant the expungement, or not. Fair chance act use of criminal record information in job hiring.
Do i qualify for an expungement with the washington state patrol. Washington state for offenses occurring onafter july 1. Legislature and by rules adopted by the washington state supreme court. You can find the video on the minnesota judicial branch youtube page. A guide on when and how to challenge, seal, vacate or expunge. For example, employers and landlords commonly ask job applicants and apartment seekers whether they have ever been convicted of or perhaps even arrested for a criminal offense. You do not need to hire an attorney to complete this process, however an attorney should be. This document is intended for general legal information purposes only and it is not legal advice. In contrast, a convicted person in washington state is theoretically allowed to. Washington provides the public with access to most criminal records and maintains these records in multiple locations. Washington law permits the sealing and destroying of both adults and juvenile criminal records in many circumstances. It provides general information about these records in washington state. Washington has many remedies for those seeking to clear their criminal past.
Vacatingexpungement forms expungement deletion of nonconviction records washington state patrol pdf vacating misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor convictions packet pdf. Records in possession of t he indiana state police central records repository. The report highlights several possible changes to the state s expungement laws that could help remove employment and other barriers for thousands. Use of an internet background checking company to obtain your criminal record is not recommended for the purpose of expungement or sealing. Generally, there is a two 2 year waiting period for eligible misdemeanors that resulted in a nonconviction. Clear criminal records in washington washington expungement. Home expunge your criminal records in washington with 80% of employers performing background checks on applicants or employees, clearing your criminal record is a great investment. Many people assume expungement refers to criminal convictions. Below youll find state specific information on arrest andor criminal records and expungement where available online from sources such as state judiciaries, attorneys general, and state police agencies. You can ask to expunge some, but not all, criminal conviction records. Vacate record of domestic violence misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor conviction in washington state. For more details on each state, click the state abbreviation.
Pdss community defender division 1442 pennsylvania avenue, s. Expunging a felony in washington state kertchen law. Expungement in the state of washington may not mean what you think. Washington state courts news, reports, court information. If you wish to remove a felony from your record and you are eligible to do so under the laws of the state in which you were convicted, you will have to obtain a court order. It looks at the impact of permitting retroactive expungement, allowing nonconvictions to be expunged, removing the age requirement and allowing expungement of more felonies. When and how to vacate misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor.
The washington state second chance expungement gap by. The authority to seal or destroy records and to vacate convictions is established by laws enacted by the legislature and by rules adopted by the washington state supreme court. Washington offers vacating a conviction and record sealing expungement. A criminal expungement video is now available to explain the criminal expungement process, including how to fill out the forms, service, and filing. The rules are slightly different if the conviction is for a domestic violence or drunk driving offense. Expungement is the legal process by which a court removes or erases all records of a criminal conviction, even if it is a felony conviction. When and how to vacate nonviolent class b or c felony convictions.
If the washington state expungement request is granted, the state patrol will remove all information related to the arrest. This procedure does not remove or seal court records or department of licensing records. If your entire criminal record meets these criteria, and it has been two years since the successful termination of your supervision, you can skip the rest of this section and go straight to section five to fill out a petition to expunge and impound form cccr 0330, a notice of filing form, and an order to expunge and impound form cccr 0331. Expungement information by state a criminal record can create difficult downstream consequences whether you or your child was arrested or convicted or both. Request for expungementdeletion of nonconviction records. A criminal record can prevent you from getting a job in washington. Legislature and by rules adopted by the washington state. The services include vacating a conviction, which is commonly referred to as expungement, criminal. Obtain a background check from louisiana state police or the clerk of court. Request for expungementdeletion of nonconviction records persons qualified under rcw 10. Cleaning up a criminal history can be complicated, and the law can change at any time. For more information about criminal record expungement in washington, including filing guidelines, see the washington state courts website. This is an excellent way to retain your freedom in getting a job, find housing, and start a professional.
File the original forms the ones with your original signature and the state of oregon filing fee in person or by mail to. Residents struggle to overcome states tough expungement. Jul 21, 2017 criminal records in washington may be sealed or destroyed by a process called expungement or vacating. Criminal records in washington may be sealed or destroyed by a process called expungement or vacating. In washington, police and sheriff records and washington state patrol records can be expunged or deleted either 2 years after the date the case is dismissed or 3 years after an arrest was made if no conviction resulted from the arrest. The petitioner may also be required to notify the washington state patrol and any victims they harmed that they are seeking expungement. When you can ask to expunge a criminal conviction record. The types of sealing or expungement processes authorized by statute are listed below.