How to Start the Vacate Process

Each county has a different process when it comes to vacating (clearing) your drug possession conviction. If you have a conviction from more than one county, you will need to follow the vacate process in each county. If you are seeking information on how to vacate a misdemeanor possession conviction, please contact the municipal court administrator for the court that issued the conviction and ask how to start the vacate process there.

  • If you are currently incarcerated in a Department of Corrections facility:
    • You may be eligible for resentencing in addition to a vacate. If you have not yet spoken to a lawyer about resentencing, you should start the process in the county where you got the sentence you are currently serving, even if your current sentence is not for a drug possession conviction. 
      • You may instead fill out and file a Pro Se Appointment and Resentencing Motion to request an attorney to represent you for resentencing, but this option may be slower than reaching out directly to the contact listed below for your sentencing county.
    • If you are currently incarcerated and you have already spoken to a lawyer about resentencing, you can start the process for vacating your drug possession conviction in the county or counties where you got your drug possession conviction. 
       
    • If you are currently incarcerated in a DOC facility and have questions about starting the resentence or vacate process, you can call us at 1-800-414-6064, ext.218.

The following counties have a webpage with information on how to start the vacate process:

Some counties have asked WA State OPD to contract with a public defense attorney to help people get a vacate in those counties. The Blake Attorneys in those counties are:

Adams

Law Office of Brandon West
Brandon West, Attorney at Law

Phone: 509-747-2855

Email: bwestlaw@gmail.com

 

Benton

Christine Bennett, Attorney at Law

Phone: 509-378-6978

Email: christinebennettlaw@gmail.com

 

Clallam

Clallam Public Defender

Phone: 360-452-3307

Email: gasnickcpd@olypen.com

 

Clark

Last name A-G contact:

Darquise Cloutier, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-200-8510
This number is currently set up for voicemail only, and cannot receive texts. 

Email: blake.cloutierlaw@gmail.com
 

Last name H-O contact:

Maggie Smith Evansen, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-213-0053

Last name P-Z contact:

Vancouver Defenders
Megan Peyton, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-906-7234

Email: mpeyton@barrarlaw.com

 

Columbia

Law Office of Rachel Cortez
Rachel Cortez and Rebecca Lemons

Phone: 509-876-4186

 

Douglas and Ferry

Please contact WA State OPD at:
Phone: 360-586-3164 ext. 218

Email: blake@opd.wa.gov

 

Franklin

Christine Bennett, Attorney at Law

Phone: 509-378-6978

Email: christinebennettlaw@gmail.com

 

Island

Law Offices of Andrew Scott

Phone: 360-331-7101

Email: attorneys@afscottlaw.com

 

Kittitas

Last Name A-M contact:

Law Office of Paul T. McBride
Paul McBride, Attorney at Law

Phone: 509-955-0115

Email: McBride@PaulTMcBride.com

Last Name N-Z contact:

Law Office of C.K Powers, P.S.
C.K. Powers

PO Box 1177
Ellensburg, WA 98926

Phone: 509-993-7210

 

Klickitat

Darquise Cloutier, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-200-8510
This number is currently set up for voicemail only, and cannot receive texts. 

Email: blake.cloutierlaw@gmail.com

 

Lewis

Last Name A-M contact:

Angela Avery, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-207-4616

Email: angela@angelaaverylaw.com

Last Name N-Z contact:

CR Taylor Law
Christopher Taylor, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-352-8004

Email: admin@crtaylorlaw.com

 

Okanogan

Burica Haas, PLLC
Anna Burica, Attorney at Law

Phone: 509-866-8678

Email: burica.law@gmail.com

 

Pacific

Angela Avery, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-207-4616

Email: angela@angelaaverylaw.com

 

San Juan

Blanford Law
Ken Blanford, Attorney at Law

Phone: In-custody- 509-260-1290

Phone: Out-of-custody- 253-720-9304

Email: ken@blanfordlaw.com

 

 

Skagit

Last name A-G

GD Dixon Law
Greg Dixon, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-599-8849

Email: gdixonlaw@gmail.com

Last name H-Z

Law Office of Karen Halverson
Karen Halverson, Attorney at Law

Phone: 425-257-2027

 

Skamania

Darquise Cloutier, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-750-8611

Email: blake.cloutierlaw@gmail.com 

 

Wahkiakum

Angela Avery, Attorney at Law

Phone: 360-200-8510
This number is currently set up for voicemail only, and cannot receive texts. 

Email: angela@angelaaverylaw.com

 

Walla Walla

Law Office of Rachel Cortez
Rachel Cortez and Rebecca Lemons, Attorneys at Law

Phone: 509-876-4186

 

Whatcom

Keating & Lynden, LLC
Meagan Yeates and Thomas Lynden, Attorneys at Law

119 N. Commercial St., Ste. 910
Bellingham, WA 98225

360-296-8136

Email: megan@keatingandlyden.com

 

Yakima

Blanford Law
Ken Blanford, Attorney at Law

Phone: In-custody- 509-260-1290

Phone: Out-of-custody- 253-720-9304

Email: ken@blanfordlaw.com

 

In addition to the contacts listed above, civil legal aid providers like Civil Survival, Northwest Justice Project, and The Way to Justice, and legal empowerment organizations like Living with Conviction, may also be able to help you with your case.

If you were convicted of drug possession and no other offenses and your conviction was not recent, you may also be able to prepare and file your own motion to vacate with the court. Click here for more information: How to clear(vacate)your drug possession conviction after State v. Blake | WashingtonLawHelp.org | Helpful information about the law in Washington