2013 Revised Code of Washington
Title 9A - WASHINGTON CRIMINAL CODE
9A.44 Sex offenses.
9A.44.142 Relief from duty to register -- Petition -- Exceptions.

RCW 9A.44.142 Relief from duty to register — Petition — Exceptions.

(1) A person who is required to register under RCW 9A.44.130 may petition the superior court to be relieved of the duty to register:

     (a) If the person has a duty to register for a sex offense or kidnapping offense committed when the offender was a juvenile, regardless of whether the conviction was in this state, as provided in RCW 9A.44.143;

     (b) If the person is required to register for a conviction in this state and is not prohibited from petitioning for relief from registration under subsection (2) of this section, when the person has spent ten consecutive years in the community without being convicted of a disqualifying offense during that time period; or

     (c) If the person is required to register for a federal or out-of-state conviction, when the person has spent fifteen consecutive years in the community without being convicted of a disqualifying offense during that time period.

     (2)(a) A person may not petition for relief from registration if the person has been:

     (i) Determined to be a sexually violent predator as defined in RCW 71.09.020;

     (ii) Convicted as an adult of a sex offense or kidnapping offense that is a class A felony and that was committed with forcible compulsion on or after June 8, 2000; or

     (iii) Until July 1, 2012, convicted of one aggravated offense or more than one sexually violent offense, as defined in subsection (5) of this section, and the offense or offenses were committed on or after March 12, 2002. After July 1, 2012, this subsection (2)(a)(iii) shall have no further force and effect.

     (b) Any person who may not be relieved of the duty to register may petition the court to be exempted from any community notification requirements that the person may be subject to fifteen years after the later of the entry of the judgment and sentence or the last date of release from confinement, including full-time residential treatment, pursuant to the conviction, if the person has spent the time in the community without being convicted of a disqualifying offense.

     (3) A petition for relief from registration or exemption from notification under this section shall be made to the court in which the petitioner was convicted of the offense that subjects him or her to the duty to register or, in the case of convictions in other states, a foreign country, or a federal or military court, to the court in the county where the person is registered at the time the petition is sought. The prosecuting attorney of the county shall be named and served as the respondent in any such petition.

     (4)(a) The court may relieve a petitioner of the duty to register only if the petitioner shows by clear and convincing evidence that the petitioner is sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant removal from the central registry of sex offenders and kidnapping offenders.

     (b) In determining whether the petitioner is sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant removal from the registry, the following factors are provided as guidance to assist the court in making its determination:

     (i) The nature of the registrable offense committed including the number of victims and the length of the offense history;

     (ii) Any subsequent criminal history;

     (iii) The petitioner's compliance with supervision requirements;

     (iv) The length of time since the charged incident(s) occurred;

     (v) Any input from community corrections officers, law enforcement, or treatment providers;

     (vi) Participation in sex offender treatment;

     (vii) Participation in other treatment and rehabilitative programs;

     (viii) The offender's stability in employment and housing;

     (ix) The offender's community and personal support system;

     (x) Any risk assessments or evaluations prepared by a qualified professional;

     (xi) Any updated polygraph examination;

     (xii) Any input of the victim;

     (xiii) Any other factors the court may consider relevant.

     (5)(a) A person who has been convicted of an aggravated offense, or has been convicted of one or more prior sexually violent offenses or criminal offenses against a victim who is a minor, as defined in (b) of this subsection:

     (i) Until July 1, 2012, may not be relieved of the duty to register;

     (ii) After July 1, 2012, may petition the court to be relieved of the duty to register as provided in this section;

     (iii) This provision shall apply to convictions for crimes committed on or after July 22, 2001.

     (b) Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following definitions apply only to the federal lifetime registration requirements under this subsection:

     (i) "Aggravated offense" means an adult conviction that meets the definition of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2241, which is limited to the following:

     (A) Any sex offense involving sexual intercourse or sexual contact where the victim is under twelve years of age;

     (B) RCW 9A.44.040 (rape in the first degree), RCW 9A.44.073 (rape of a child in the first degree), or RCW 9A.44.083 (child molestation in the first degree);

     (C) Any of the following offenses when committed by forcible compulsion or by the offender administering, by threat or force or without the knowledge or permission of that person, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance that substantially impairs the ability of that person to appraise or control conduct: RCW 9A.44.050 (rape in the second degree), RCW 9A.44.100 (indecent liberties), RCW 9A.44.160 (custodial sexual misconduct in the first degree), RCW 9A.64.020 (incest), or RCW 9.68A.040 (sexual exploitation of a minor);

     (D) Any of the following offenses when committed by forcible compulsion or by the offender administering, by threat or force or without the knowledge or permission of that person, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance that substantially impairs the ability of that person to appraise or control conduct, if the victim is twelve years of age or over but under sixteen years of age and the offender is eighteen years of age or over and is more than forty-eight months older than the victim: RCW 9A.44.076 (rape of a child in the second degree), RCW 9A.44.079 (rape of a child in the third degree), RCW 9A.44.086 (child molestation in the second degree), or RCW 9A.44.089 (child molestation in the third degree);

     (E) A felony with a finding of sexual motivation under RCW 9.94A.835 where the victim is under twelve years of age or that is committed by forcible compulsion or by the offender administering, by threat or force or without the knowledge or permission of that person, a drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance that substantially impairs the ability of that person to appraise or control conduct;

     (F) An offense that is, under chapter 9A.28 RCW, an attempt or solicitation to commit such an offense; or

     (G) An offense defined by federal law or the laws of another state that is equivalent to the offenses listed in (b)(i)(A) through (F) of this subsection.

     (ii) "Sexually violent offense" means an adult conviction that meets the definition of 42 U.S.C. Sec. 14071(a)(1)(A), which is limited to the following:

     (A) An aggravated offense;

     (B) An offense that is not an aggravated offense but meets the definition of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2242, which is limited to RCW 9A.44.050(1) (b) through (f) (rape in the second degree) and RCW 9A.44.100(1) (b) through (f) (indecent liberties);

     (C) A felony with a finding of sexual motivation under RCW 9.94A.835 where the victim is incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct or physically incapable of declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in, the conduct;

     (D) An offense that is, under chapter 9A.28 RCW, an attempt or solicitation to commit such an offense; or

     (E) An offense defined by federal law or the laws of another state that is equivalent to the offenses listed in (b)(ii)(A) through (D) of this subsection.

     (iii) "Criminal offense against a victim who is a minor" means, in addition to any aggravated offense or sexually violent offense where the victim was under eighteen years of age, an adult conviction for the following offenses where the victim is under eighteen years of age:

     (A) RCW 9A.44.060 (rape in the third degree), RCW 9A.44.076 (rape of a child in the second degree), RCW 9A.44.079 (rape of a child in the third degree), RCW 9A.44.086 (child molestation in the second degree), RCW 9A.44.089 (child molestation in the third degree), RCW 9A.44.093 (sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree), RCW 9A.44.096 (sexual misconduct with a minor in the second degree), RCW 9A.44.160 (custodial sexual misconduct in the first degree), RCW 9A.64.020 (incest), RCW 9.68A.040 (sexual exploitation of a minor), RCW 9.68A.090 (communication with a minor for immoral purposes), or RCW 9.68A.100 (commercial sexual abuse of a minor);

     (B) RCW 9A.40.020 (kidnapping in the first degree), RCW 9A.40.030 (kidnapping in the second degree), or RCW 9A.40.040 (unlawful imprisonment), where the victim is a minor and the offender is not the minor's parent;

     (C) A felony with a finding of sexual motivation under RCW 9.94A.835 where the victim is a minor;

     (D) An offense that is, under chapter 9A.28 RCW, an attempt or solicitation to commit such an offense; or

     (E) An offense defined by federal law or the laws of another state that is equivalent to the offenses listed in (b)(iii)(A) through (D) of this subsection.

[2011 c 337 § 7; 2010 c 267 § 6.]

Notes:

Application -- 2010 c 267: See note following RCW 9A.44.128.