Rights Restoration
Civil Rights Restoration
Civil rights are often taken for granted, but what are they? At their simplest level, they are the basic rights of citizens, which, if infringed upon, can give rise to a legal remedy. More concretely, they’re the things you can do as a member of society, such as the right to participate in society via…
Read MoreUnlocking Opportunities: Seven Transformative Benefits of Expunging Your Criminal Record
The most immediate and tangible benefit of expunging a criminal record is the increased access to employment opportunities. With the majority of employers conducting background checks on potential hires, a criminal record can often be a roadblock to securing meaningful employment.
Read MoreNavigating Open Arrests and Firearm Purchase Delays in Oregon
When navigating the world of firearm purchases, one might come across unexpected roadblocks that can create frustrating delays. In Oregon, one such obstacle is known as an ‘open arrest.’ This situation can be especially problematic when it causes delays in the purchase of firearms. An open arrest occurs when a person is cited or arrested…
Read MoreFive Crucial Considerations When Choosing an Expungement Lawyer in Oregon
Discover the five crucial considerations when selecting an expungement lawyer in Oregon. From conducting thorough background checks to fostering relationships with key agencies, find out what sets apart the best in the field. Ensure your record is fully cleared with the right legal assistance.
Read MoreTop Ten Reasons to Expunge your Criminal Record
Cleaning up your criminal record offers many opportunities, in many areas of your life. 1. Adoption/Foster care A criminal record can bring plans to adopt or foster a child to a screeching halt. State laws prohibit a person from adopting or fostering a child if they have been convicted of certain offenses – but…
Read MoreThe Value of an Expungement Order
The value in setting aside your criminal record is difficult to quantify, but the rewards are undeniable. When it comes to getting your criminal record cleaned up, or “set aside” (while not technically correct, the common term here in Oregon is “expunged”), there are a few ways to do it – and there are more…
Read MoreDo Oregon Background Checks Show Out of State Convictions?
In Oregon, background checks are done by most employers to ensure that the person they’re hiring wasn’t convicted of a criminal offense before or doesn’t have a warrant out for their name. It’s a part of everyday life to fulfill your basic needs. So whether you’re applying for work or looking for housing, you must…
Read MoreCan I Teach With a Felony Conviction In Oregon?
Like many other states, Oregon is experiencing a teacher shortage. With schools struggling to hire and retain qualified people to educate our kids, it may seem like the perfect time to pursue a teaching career. But, the staffing issues at many Oregon schools haven’t changed the state licensing requirements, which can be quite stringent. In…
Read MoreGun Rights are Not Automatically Restored After Fifteen Years Oregon Supreme Court Rules
For years it was believed by many that Oregon law automatically restored a non-violent felon’s firearm rights fifteen years after the end of their sentence. That argument is now legally dead after the Oregon Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Michael Burris for felon in possession of a restricted weapon. Mr. Burris’s attorneys argued that…
Read MoreLohrke Law presents “Doing Expungements Right” class to Criminal Defense Lawyers
Attorney Jesse Lohrke, and Lohrke Law Set Asides Manager, Cherlyn Prescott, on Friday July 22, 2022, presented a one-hour Continuing Legal Education (CLE) webinar to more than seventy members of the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. The purpose of the presentation was to help Oregon lawyers who file expungements ensure they file fully clean up…
Read MoreGetting Hired with a Felony Conviction
In one survey of employers, just 40% said they would definitely or probably hire someone with a criminal conviction.
Read MoreExpungement and Rights Restoration Lawyers in Pendleton, Oregon
When you’re convicted of a crime, there are a number of consequences. In addition to whatever sentence you must serve, your personal criminal record is updated to include your conviction. Depending on the crime, it may stay on your record forever. It can cost you access to certain rights, such as the right to own…
Read MoreHow Do Background Checks Work in Oregon?
From renting an apartment to securing employment, background checks are a part of everyday life. However, if you have a negative mark on your background, you could have trouble even meeting the most basic needs. If you have wondered how a modern background check works in the state of Oregon and what you can do…
Read MoreExpunging or Setting Aside Convictions in Oregon: Everything You Need to Know
How Soon Should I Petition to Expunge or Set Aside? They say a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and this is never truer than when taking steps to have your rights restored. Pursuing a felony expungement should be undertaken as soon as possible because laws and circumstances can change. Simply…
Read MoreBuying a Gun with a Criminal Record in Oregon
The right to bear arms is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. This right is reiterated in the Oregon Constitution as well. In the aftermath of certain criminal offenses, however, these rights may be suspended or revoked. Adults in Oregon who wish to buy firearms are forbidden from doing so if they have been convicted of…
Read MoreThe Ultimate Guide to Owning a Firearm in Oregon
Table of Contents Toggle What Types of Firearms Can I Own?Purchasing a Gun in OregonHow and Where You May Use FirearmsConcealed Carry in OregonOpen Carry in OregonDischarging a Firearm in OregonPointing a GunSelf-Defense with a Firearm in OregonWho Can Possess a Firearm in Oregon?Who Cannot Own or Use a Firearm?What If I Own a Gun…
Read MoreOver-Prosecution Costs Billions in Lost Productivity
Anybody with a felony record knows very well the challenges of finding decent employment and housing. The clear result of felony prosecutions is that good potential workers are kept out of the productive labor force. A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research states that this under-employment actually reduces the productivity of the…
Read MoreRights Restoration Options Besides Expungement or Set Aside?
We think of Rights Restoration as a hierarchy. At the top is expungement or set aside, which makes the conviction disappear. You can’t get better than that. If you cannot expunge or set aside, the next best thing is to turn a felony into a misdemeanor. This is done through a law that allows a…
Read MoreCan Rights be Restored if Money is Still Owed in a Case?
In our experience, all fines, fees, and restitution must be paid off before people can set aside a conviction. A reduction requires at a minimum to be up to date with a payment plan. The laws do not explicitly discuss money owed, but they do discuss complying with the sentence of the court, which arguably…
Read MoreDo Municipal Court Arrests and Convictions Show up on my Criminal Record?
Because of global accessibility to digitized information and record keeping, data sharing across local, state, and federal governmental agencies has become the norm. The result has been clients who have had municipal court convictions from the 80s, 70s or even 60s pop up on a background check, preventing them from getting an apartment, being hired…
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