Vancouver! Clear your criminal record

Old criminal convictions have a way of coming back to haunt you anytime you try to get ahead. Whenever someone runs a background check on you, they’re going to learn that you have a prior conviction.

In practical terms, convictions in your past can stand in the way of good job offers. They can make you less competitive in rental applications and in applications for loans and credit. They also tarnish your public image. If you are involved in your community, others can use their knowledge of your past to damage your reputation.

Did you know that it is often possible to clear your old criminal record in Vancouver? Initiating the process formally known as “vacating” a prior conviction—also known as “expungement” or simply “clearing your record”—can be your ticket to getting your life on a better track.

Expungement removes the “guilty” finding from your case file and gives you the legal right to state that you were never convicted of that crime. Companies that provide information for background checks will also stop reporting your conviction.

As a resident of Vancouver, expungement of your record carries two main requirements (and one exclusion).

• First, you must comply with anything the court has ordered you to do. This requirement might include paying fines or restitution, doing community service, or completing your period of probation. Once you have done everything the court has mandated, you will pass this eligibility requirement.
• Second, you must complete a waiting period, and during this period you cannot have any new criminal convictions or pending charges. The waiting period ranges from three to 10 years, depending on the particular details of your case. Afterward, you will pass this eligibility requirement.
• Additionally, your prior conviction must not have been a Class A felony or a serious violent crime. Those convictions cannot be vacated if they weren’t juvenile offenses.

Unfortunately, no. If you have previously lost your right to possess a firearm anywhere in the State of Washington, including Vancouver, expungement of any prior convictions will not address that restriction. To get your gun rights back, you must comply with RCW 9.41.040, the part of Washington State law that covers firearm rights.

This is something we can help you with at Findley & Rogers. Learn more on our Firearm Rights Restoration page.

It’s embarrassing to be forced to admit, every time you fill out an application for virtually anything of importance, that you have a prior criminal conviction. Your offense happened long ago. You were younger and not as wise or responsible as you are now. Today, you are a productive member of society and you deserve to be treated like one.

If you live in Vancouver, expunge your record today. Contact us for a free consultation.