REDUCING FELONY CONVICTIONS IN OREGON

Nobody Wants a Felony on Their Record

Nobody wants a criminal record. A criminal record can limit your job opportunities, make finding a place to live more difficult, and even take away your Second Amendment right to own a gun. More than anything, living with a criminal record just isn’t fair once you’ve paid your debt to society.

Oregon permits the setting aside and sealing of many felony convictions, but not everyone may qualify for this relief. This is particularly true when you have more than one conviction on your record, which requires a 10-year waiting period from the date of your most recent conviction. In addition, many felonies simply cannot be set aside using current Oregon law (ORS 137.225).

When ineligible to set aside a felony conviction, you can often reduce your felony to a misdemeanor using Oregon’s felony reduction laws (ORS 161.705). This process will not remove the conviction from your record, but it will change your conviction to a Class A Misdemeanor, which may make a substantial difference. If there isn’t another reason that your firearm rights have been taken away, reducing your felony to a misdemeanor will also restore your firearm rights.

Our law firm has helped thousands of clients get rid of their criminal records, and we hear success stories from them often. If a criminal record is currently holding you back, keep reading to see if we can help.

This Information Is For You

Since the majority of people reading this aren’t lawyers, we’ve tried to simplify the legal jargon on our website, so regular people may follow along and get the information needed to understand their rights. However, before we get started, we should be clear that some of this information can get complicated, and, in many cases, it’s best to seek the assistance of an experienced lawyer.

To help you understand your rights, our lawyers have developed a tool that can be helpful in figuring out your options. This tool can’t be perfectly accurate in every situation, but our lawyers have invested substantial time and resources working to make it as accurate as possible.

You can get started by using our Secure Eligibility Test, or you can give us a call at (844) 947-3732 to see if our legal staff is available for a free consultation. Be aware that our staff is often busy with current clients and a high volume of calls and appointments. If you’re serious about getting rid of your record, your best bet is to take our Secure Eligibility Test and then schedule an appointment to discuss your results and options.

Can You Get Your Felony Reduced?

Oregon law allows for the reduction of most Class C Felony convictions, and many more serious marijuana-related felonies are now eligible following the passage of Senate Bill 420. Most Class A and Class B felonies do not qualify for reduction under current Oregon law, but the requirements to reduce a Class C felony are easy to satisfy.

• Requirements to Reduce Felony Convictions

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  The general requirements to reduce a felony conviction under Oregon law (ORS 161.705) are the following:

  • Your conviction was for a Class C Felony, many marijuana-related felonies, or a Class A felony only if it was for Racketeering (ORS 166.720)
  • You’ve completed the terms of your sentence of probation
  • After considering the nature and circumstances of the crime, your criminal history, and your character, the court believes that it would be unduly harsh to treat you as a felon.

  The first two requirements are straightforward, but the last is subjective and largely at the judge’s discretion. Every county and judge are different, but our law firm has had success in having our clients’ felonies reduced under this process.

Legal Effects of Reducing Your Felony Conviction

• How Will Reducing My Felony Conviction Help Me Get a Job?

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  Unless you have other felonies, after a felony reduction, the restrictions applicable to felons will no longer apply to you, and your criminal record will reflect a misdemeanor conviction. Although a misdemeanor conviction will remain on your record, removing your felony conviction should improve your chances of obtaining a job. If you later qualify for a conviction set-aside, having your felony reduced will not prevent you from petitioning.

  Overall, it’s almost always easier to get a job when you’re no longer a felon.

• Will Reducing My Felony Conviction Restore My Second Amendment Rights?

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  In most cases, yes. Unless there is another reason your firearm rights have been taken away, setting aside a conviction that restricted your firearm rights will restore them under ORS 137.225(3)5.

  We will go into more detail regarding restoring Second Amendment rights in Oregon on our Oregon Firearm Rights Restoration page, but restoration typically involves both state and federal law that should be handled by an experienced lawyer. The lawyers in our firm regularly handle complex firearm rights restoration issues, so a good first step in exploring whether you can restore your firearm rights would be to take our Secure Eligibility Test. Then, if appropriate, set up a time to speak with our legal staff about how to proceed.

What You Need to Do to Get Rid of Your Juvenile Conviction

If you are tired of having a criminal record hold you back, reach out to us by taking our Secure Eligibility Test or by giving us a call at (844) 947-3732. Our law firm has helped thousands of people with criminal records move on in life, leaving many of the negative effects of a criminal record behind. Our experienced attorneys and legal staff are here to help you figure out what criminal record clearing services best fit your needs, and then help you accomplish your goals. Using our secure, confidential Eligibility Test is the best way to get the process started.

Some of the Potential Benefits of Reducing a Felony in Oregon Include:

• Removing a finding of guilt and closing the case on your criminal record to help you get a better job
• Restoring your Second Amendment Rights to own a firearm
• Becoming eligible for professional licenses you previously did not qualify for
• Increased eligibility for student loans, housing assistance, and government programs
• Improving your ability to obtain higher-paying job opportunities
• Improving access and admission to college and other educational resources

We Are Here to Help

Each of Oregon's methods for dealing with your criminal record have different requirements and are meant for different circumstances. To move forward, it’s important to determine what Oregon criminal record services are available to you, and then select the services that will provide the greatest benefit. Eastman Meyler, PC is here to help you navigate this very specific area of Oregon criminal law, fight to protect your rights, and assist you in moving forward in life without the effects of a Oregon criminal record.