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King County Washington home

Post-conviction assistance

Learn how Washington State law gives people with criminal convictions ways to start over and clean up their record.

Not everyone can take advantage of these laws but if you have stayed out of trouble and think you have done everything the judge required - it's time to find out if you are eligible. The Post-Conviction Assistance Unit may be able to assist you with:

  • Vacating old convictions
  • Figuring out your criminal conviction history
  • Locating and quashing old warrants

If you have a post-conviction question, take a look at the areas below and we will try to direct you to the appropriate place.

After reviewing the information relevant to you, if you believe you have gathered all your necessary paperwork, you can email it to paopca@kingcounty.gov and we will review your case.

This page is not legal advice

Washington State Law and The Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office from providing legal advice to members of the general public. If you require legal assistance, contact a public defender or the King County Bar Association.

What should I do if I have multiple requests?

Please submit multiple requests at the same time. We will review everything at once.

I have an outstanding bench warrant

Cases from more than 5 years ago

Please email us at paopca@kingcounty.gov and make sure to include your full name, date of birth and any aliases you have used. Include a case number and any information about your current situation. Please make sure to let us know if you are able to come to court for a hearing if one is set. We will try to respond to you within 1 week but please be advised that this may vary depending on the amount of inquiries that we receive. Also, please be advised that your email to this office does NOT constitute taking care of your warrant. We will review the matter and get back to you with further information.

Cases from the last 5 years

Contact your attorney or the Office of Public Defense for more information.

Please contact the county in which the warrant was issued.

I have outstanding legal financial obligations

If you are currently in custody

Please contact an attorney or the Office of Public Defense at 206-296-7662.

If you are not in custody

Please contact us at paopca@kingcounty.gov and provide the following: Your name and date of birth, the case number you are inquiring about and we will look into the case and get back to you with more information. Please be aware that sending this email does not take care of restitution.

If you have paid the principal restitution amount, please contact us at paopca@kingcounty.gov and provide the following: Your name and date of birth, the case number you are inquiring about and we will look into the case and get back to you with more information. Please be aware that sending this email does not take care of restitution.

The principal is the amount that was originally ordered by the judge not including accrued interest.

If you have not paid the principal restitution amount, please contact OPD at 206-296-7662.

I need a certificate of discharge

Please complete the forms and submit them to our office along with:

  • A copy of the judgment and sentence
  • Proof that you completed all conditions of sentence including payment of legal financial obligations.

Download forms on the Washington State Courts' website

Submit this paperwork to us by email or mail:

Email: paopca@kingcounty.gov

Mail:

King County Prosecuting Attorney-Post-Conviction Unit
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Certificates of Discharge (RCW 9.94A.637) only apply to felonies. You cannot obtain a certificate of discharge on a misdemeanor offense nor is one necessary to vacate under RCW 9.96.060. Instead, you merely need to gather proof that you have completed your sentence conditions and the date those conditions were completed and submit those documents with your request to vacate.

Restore your right to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040(4)

Please carefully review RCW 9.41.040(4) and consult with an attorney for any legal advice. If you wish to submit a request to restore your right to possess a firearm you must review the applicable law and file a petition to restore and submit a copy of the petition and a proposed order to our office. Make sure that you have filled these forms out completely and signed them. Forms may be obtained from your attorney, the King County Law Library or the Attorney’s information Bureau.

Please be aware that an individual may only petition a court of record (this means a superior court and not a district or municipal court) to have his or her right to possess a firearm restored only at:

  • The court of record that ordered the petitioner's prohibition on possession of a firearm; or
  • The superior court in the county in which the petitioner resides.

If you do not have a King County Superior Court case number and you are moving to restore, you will need to obtain a civil cause number under which to file your petition. This civil King County cause number must be obtained directly from the King County Clerk’s Office.

You must include the following documentation in support of your motion:

  • Copy of the original Information;
  • Copy of the Judgment and Sentence;
  • Copy of the Satisfaction of Judgment (if applicable)
  • Copy of a recent criminal history check;
  • If your conviction was for a misdemeanor, you will need to attach proof that you completed all condition of sentence.

Lift or modify a No Contact Order

Find more information about the No Contact Order recall process

The forms you will need are on the Domestic Violence No Contact Order Forms page.

If you have any questions, please contact King County Superior Court.

I want to vacate my conviction under RCW 9.94A.640 or RCW 9.96.060 

Please complete the forms and submit them to our office along with a copy of the judgment and sentence and proof that you completed all conditions of sentence including payment of legal financial obligations or just include a certificate of discharge if you have obtained one.

Download forms on the Washington State Courts' website

Submit this paperwork to us by email or mail:

Email: paopca@kingcounty.gov

Mail:

King County Prosecuting Attorney-Post-Conviction Unit
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

Once you have submitted your paperwork to us we will run a criminal history check and review your request to see if you are eligible. If we can agree to your request, we will most-likely be able to submit the request directly to the court for a judge’s signature and will not require you to come to a hearing in court. However, please make sure to include your name, case number, date of birth and address, email and phone number.

Do you have more than one case in King County that you are seeking to vacate?

Please complete a separate set of paperwork for each case number. However, if there are multiple counts under one case number you can list all eligible counts on one form.

I want to obtain a Certificate of Restoration of Opportunity (CROP) under RCW 9.97.020

Review the statute RCW 9.97.020, complete all the forms, and obtain all the supporting documentation for each case.

Download forms on the Washington State Courts' website

Submit this paperwork to us by email or mail:

Email: paopca@kingcounty.gov

Mail:

King County Prosecuting Attorney-Post-Conviction Unit,
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104

If you have any questions or need legal advice about this process please contact our office.

I have a different question about my case or I am not sure what I should be requesting at this point

You may send us an email at paopca@kingcounty.gov but please be advised that we cannot provide any legal advice. We will try our best to respond to any general inquiries but please understand that specific requests supported by documentation and a completed motion and order will take priority.

For legal advice, you may also contact the King County Office of Public Defense at 206-296-7662.