Vacating and Expunging of a criminal record in Washington

Many people are confused about Washington State expungement. How do you go about clearing or vacating your criminal records in Washington State? What is it called? Indeed, the Washington State expungement process is confusing. Record keeping can be complicated, the process has different names depending upon what you want cleared, and there are different rules depending upon whether you are dealing with the courts, the Department of Licensing, or law enforcement.  Below is a summary of possible avenues for relief.

Washington State Expungement of A Record

For individuals with “non-conviction data,” the Washington State expungement process may be an option.  This means removing information relating to an arrest from a law enforcement record.  “Non-conviction data” means a situation where no adverse consequences were imposed. Examples include a charge dismissed by the prosecutor or court before trial, or a “not guilty” verdict following trial.  It does not include deferred sentences where a guilty plea is initially entered but later removed.

Washington State Expungement is a fairly simple process whereby you submit an application to the Washington State Patrol, including fingerprints and a copy of the court record. You cannot do this immediately after the case is dismissed or you are found “not guilty.” You must wait two years from the date of dismissal without any new criminal arrests or 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.

Vacating a Criminal Record in Washington

If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense, then you cannot get a Washington State expungement. But you may be able to ask for your conviction to be vacated. When you vacate a conviction, a written request must be made to the court asking to remove the conviction and have the charge dismissed.

There are some offenses that are not eligible to be vacated, such as a DUI, and there are a variety of other requirements a person must meet.  For example, at least three years must have passed following the end of any probationary period following conviction with no new arrests or convictions (for charges reduced from DUI, the wait could be longer).

A request to vacate a record is discretionary, meaning a judge does not have to grant it, even if a person otherwise qualifies under the statute.  Also, only one offense in a lifetime can be vacated.  If a request to vacate is granted, the end effect is that the previous guilty plea is withdrawn and the charge is dismissed.  Thereafter, a person can legally and honestly say they have not been convicted of the offense and would not need to disclose it as a conviction on future applications, etc.

Vacating an offense can be helpful, but it is not as perfect solution.  For instance, the record of the case is not deleted.  There will still be a court record of everything that occurred in the case unless the record is also sealed (see below).  Also, the Department of Licensing does not recognize vacated convictions, so if the offense was a driving offense, DOL will still maintain the conviction information on its own records.

Sealing a Washington State Court Record

The only way to ensure that the public will not have any access to information in a court record is to have it sealed. This is a difficult process because generally speaking there is a predisposition to having open access to court records. In other words, courts get suspicious of people trying to hide things.  A request to seal, like vacating a conviction, is discretionary and the person must show a compelling privacy interest that outweighs the public policy of open access.

Depending upon the court and the judge, as well as the reason you are requesting to have your records sealed, sealing a record can be easy to almost impossible.

Washington State Juvenile Records

Contrary to popular belief, juvenile records do not automatically get sealed when you turn 18. There are different rules for cases occurring in juvenile court and it is generally easier to vacate, seal and expunge records of juvenile arrests and convictions. But you must affirmatively ask for such relief.

If you want to clean up your criminal record, Erin Bradley McAleer would be happy to guide you through the process. Contact the Law Office Erin Bradley McAleer for a free consultation.

FREE CONSULTATION:

The Law Office of Erin Bradley McAleer will fight to ensure that you achieve the best possible outcome in your court case. Call attorney Erin Bradley McAleer today at (360) 334-6277 to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Washington Attorney Erin Bradley McAleer represents clients throughout Southwest Washington State, including in Clark County, Cowlitz County, and Skamania County and Vancouver, Battle Ground, Camas, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal, Woodland, Yacolt, Castle Rock, Kalama, Kelso, Longview, North Bonneville, and Stevenson. Attorney Erin Bradley McAleer focuses on the areas of Criminal Defense, Traffic Infractions, Landlord Tenant, Personal Injury, Firearm Rights Restoration, and Post-Conviction Relief (Vacating & Sealing Criminal Records).