The Basics of Vacating or Expunging Misdemeanor Cases in Washington The Basics of Vacating or Expunging Misdemeanor Cases in Washington Washington law defines a misdemeanor as “An offense punishable by no more than 90 days in jail and $1,000.” A “gross misdemeanor” is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000. For both types of misdemeanors, both a jail… Read More
When Good People Get Caught Up in Legal Problems When Good People Get Caught Up in Legal Problems It is not as difficult as one might imagine, to get involved in legal or even criminal matters. The Prison Policy Initiative (PPI), a non-profit group, estimated that at the end of 2016, over 2.2 million Americans were behind bars, let alone being charged or… Read More
Fluctuation of Crime during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crime rates have fluctuated wildly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Seattle Times, the Seattle Police Department said that crime reports declined 15 percent from late February to early March compared with last year. Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, SPD spokesperson said, “This is not surprising, considering the reduction of people out and about.” Many… Read More
Grab and Run Theft (Porch Piracy) in Seattle Seattle has a high rate of “grab and run” thefts, in which so-called porch pirates steal packages from doorsteps. In fact, The Seattle Times named the Emerald City as the fifth-worst metropolitan area for packages stolen from porches in 2019. While this type of theft is more common during the holidays, it can happen at… Read More
Controversial Tweet Exposes Weakness in Pretrial Release System In a recent tweet, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best expressed apparent frustration with the city’s jail release system. “A business owner reported a property crime, and @SeattlePD arrested the suspect. Within hours, the suspect was released from jail and returned to commit a new crime. The same officer re-arrested the suspect. This not only hurts… Read More