Expungement & Conviction Vacating in Washington

Clear Your Record & Live Your Life

Having a misdemeanor or felony on your record can present a wide array of consequences. Perhaps you have been excluded from a job or failed to qualify for housing and education incentives. A criminal record can have lasting effects long after the crime was committed. At Daryl Graves Law, PLLC, our team of experienced Tacoma criminal defense attorney is dedicated to helping you reclaim your life.

Ways that a criminal record can affect you throughout your life include:

• Limiting your rights during child custody cases, especially when the record includes violent charges
• Subsequent charges resulting in higher penalties and sentences
• Affecting your chances of becoming a citizen, obtaining a green card, or changing your immigration status
• Obtaining employment becomes more difficult for individuals with criminal records
• Your right to own a firearm may be taken away
• Driving privileges may be affected, including suspension of your license

Many Convictions Are Eligible to Be Vacated

The good news for individuals who have been convicted of a crime is that many misdemeanors and felonies can be vacated and sealed. While in many states the term used most often is "expungement," Washington uses the term "vacation." When a conviction is vacated, certain protections are given to the convicted individual.

Some of these legal protections include:

• The indictment, information, complaint, or citation is dismissed by the courts
• The judgment and sentence is vacated
• The charge is dismissed, thus the guilty finding is reversed
• The conviction cannot be used to determine a sentence in the event of subsequent convictions
• Disclosure of the conviction record is solely reserved for justice enforcement agencies