Your Record Shouldn't Follow You Forever. Oregon Gives You a Second Chance — David Wallace Makes Sure You Get It.
Oregon law allows many people with criminal records to have those records set aside — and in many cases, to have their firearm rights restored. David Wallace has helped Oregonians do both. He'll tell you honestly what's possible for you.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. David responds personally within 30 minutes.
Let's Find Out What's Possible
ORS 137.225
Set Aside Statute
ORS 166.274
Firearm Restoration
Statewide
Oregon Coverage
Free
Consultation
30 Min
Response Time
Two Services. One Attorney.
Oregon Rights Restoration: Two Services, One Attorney Who Handles Both
Whether you need your record cleared, your gun rights back, or both — David handles the full picture.
Service One
Clear Your Record. Change What Comes Up When People Search Your Name.
Oregon's expungement process — called a "Motion to Set Aside" — allows many people with criminal arrests and convictions to have those records sealed from public view. Background checks, employer searches, and housing applications stop surfacing the past. David evaluates your record, handles the full petition process, and pursues the best outcome available under ORS 137.225.
Eligibility: Most misdemeanors and many felonies qualify after a waiting period. Dismissed charges are often eligible immediately.
Service Two
Get Your Gun Rights Back. Oregon Law Provides a Path — David Navigates It.
A felony or domestic violence conviction doesn't have to mean a permanent ban on firearm possession. Under ORS 166.274, eligible Oregonians can petition the circuit court to have their firearm rights restored. David prepares the petition, gathers the evidence of rehabilitation, and argues your case before the court. In some cases, a successful set aside automatically restores your rights — no separate petition needed.
Eligibility: Must have completed all sentence terms (including probation/parole) at least one year ago. Measure 11 convictions are not eligible.
Why This Matters
What a Criminal Record Actually Costs You Every Day
A conviction doesn't end when the sentence does. For many Oregonians, the real punishment comes after — in the form of closed doors, rejected applications, and lost opportunities. Oregon law created rights restoration for exactly this reason: the debt was paid, and the record shouldn't keep collecting.
1. Employment
Most employers run background checks. A felony or even a misdemeanor conviction can disqualify you for jobs you're otherwise qualified for — especially in healthcare, education, finance, and government.
2. Housing
Landlords and property management companies routinely screen for criminal records. A single conviction can result in automatic denials, even years after the offense.
3. Professional Licenses
Oregon licensing boards for nursing, teaching, contracting, real estate, and dozens of other fields conduct background checks. A conviction can prevent initial licensure or trigger a review of an existing one.
4. Firearm Rights
A felony or domestic violence conviction typically means you cannot legally own or possess a firearm. Oregon law provides two paths to restore those rights — a set aside, or a formal petition to the court.
5. Immigration Status
For non-citizens, criminal records can have severe immigration consequences. Clearing or setting aside a conviction may improve your standing — though immigration law is complex and requires careful analysis.
6. Peace of Mind
Beyond the practical barriers, a criminal record follows people in ways that are hard to quantify — in how others perceive them, how they see themselves, and how freely they move through the world.
"Most of my rights restoration clients came to me after being told no for the third or fourth time. The record was the barrier — and we removed it. That's the work."
Quick Check
Quick Eligibility Check — Oregon Rights Restoration
Every case is different. This is a general guide — David's free consultation gives you a definitive answer for your specific situation.
ORS 137.225
Set Aside (Expungement)
Likely Eligible If
- •Your case was dismissed or you were acquitted
- •You completed your sentence (including probation) and the required waiting period has passed
- •Conviction was for a Class C felony, misdemeanor, or violation — not a Measure 11 offense
- •You have not been convicted of another crime since the original offense
Not Eligible
- •Class A or B felonies in most circumstances
- •Measure 11 offenses (murder, rape, robbery, assault, sex trafficking)
- •Sex offenses requiring registration
- •Certain traffic offenses and DUIIs
Waiting Periods
- Dismissed charges: often eligible immediately
- Most misdemeanors: 1 year after sentence completion
- Class C felonies: 3 years after sentence completion (in most cases)
ORS 166.274
Firearm Rights Restoration
Likely Eligible If
- •You have completed ALL sentence terms — including probation and parole — at least one year ago
- •Conviction was not a Measure 11 offense or a "person felony" involving a firearm or deadly weapon
- •You can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that you are not a danger to public safety
Not Eligible
- •Measure 11 convictions (murder, rape, robbery, first-degree assault)
- •"Person felonies" involving a firearm or deadly weapon
- •Convictions where incarceration/probation/parole was completed less than one year ago
Note on Federal Law
Oregon state restoration does not automatically restore federal firearms rights. For most Oregonians, however, state restoration is sufficient for ordinary firearm possession. David will advise on federal implications in your free consultation.
Did You Know? A Set Aside Can Restore Your Gun Rights Automatically.
Under Oregon law, if your felony conviction is successfully set aside under ORS 137.225, your Oregon firearm rights are often automatically restored — no separate petition required. This means the same process that clears your background check results also gives you back your right to own and possess firearms.
Not every case works this way — the type of conviction matters, and federal law adds another layer. But for many Oregonians, the answer to both "How do I clear my record?" and "How do I get my gun rights back?" is the same: one well-handled motion to set aside.
David evaluates both questions together. You may be paying for one process and getting both results.
How It Works
How David Handles Your Rights Restoration Case
Free Case Evaluation — We Assess What's Possible
In your free consultation, David reviews your record, identifies which charges qualify, evaluates whether set aside, firearm rights restoration, or both are available, and tells you exactly what the process looks like — timeline, cost, and realistic outcome. No surprises.
We Build and File Your Petition
David prepares the full petition, gathers supporting evidence of rehabilitation (where needed), handles all required service on the DA's office and other parties, and manages the court filing process. You don't need to figure out the forms, the fees, or the procedure.
We Represent You Through Completion
For contested hearings or complex cases, David appears in court and argues on your behalf. For uncontested matters, he manages the process through to the court's final order. When it's done, you'll know exactly what changed — and what you can now do.
Why David
Why Oregon Clients Choose David Wallace for Rights Restoration
He Handles Both Sides of the Rights Restoration Equation
Most firms handle expungement or gun rights — not both. David handles both, and evaluates them together. That means you're not getting a piecemeal approach — you're getting a full picture of what Oregon law can do for your situation in one conversation.
He'll Tell You the Truth About What's Possible
Not every record qualifies for set aside. Not every conviction allows firearm restoration. David won't take your money on a case that won't succeed. His free consultation is a genuine assessment — including the cases where the honest answer is "not yet" or "here's what has to happen first."
He's Done This Before, in Oregon Courts
Rights restoration petitions have specific requirements, timelines, and evidentiary standards that vary by county and by case type. David knows the process — how to prepare the evidence of rehabilitation that courts actually respond to, and how to handle the DA's response when one comes.
About David Wallace
David Wallace has helped Oregonians clean up records that stood between them and jobs, housing, licenses, and firearms. He approaches rights restoration the same way he approaches personal injury: with direct, honest assessment and a commitment to doing the work right. He handles cases statewide — from Portland to Salem to rural Oregon — and he takes every consultation personally.
Case Results
Rights Restoration Results — Oregon
Records cleared, firearm rights restored, futures reopened.
Set Aside Granted
Class C Felony — Portland Metro
Client had carried a drug conviction for over a decade. After the waiting period was confirmed and petition filed, the court granted the set aside. Background checks no longer show the conviction.
Firearm Rights Restored via Set Aside
Felony Conviction — Willamette Valley
Client's conviction qualified for set aside, which automatically restored Oregon firearm rights. No separate gun rights petition required. Process completed in one filing.
Firearm Rights Petition Granted
Felony Conviction — Statewide
Client had a conviction not eligible for set aside but met the ORS 166.274 criteria. David filed the petition, appeared at the hearing, and the court granted restoration based on clear and convincing evidence of rehabilitation.
Results vary by case. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. Contact David for a free, honest evaluation of your specific situation.
Frequently Asked
Frequently Asked Questions — Oregon Rights Restoration
In Oregon, there is no formal "expungement" law — the correct term is a Motion to Set Aside, governed by ORS 137.225. The effect is similar to what other states call expungement: the arrest or conviction record is sealed from public view, background checks stop surfacing it, and in most cases, you can legally state that the conviction does not exist. Oregon law does not physically destroy the record — it seals it. David uses both terms because clients search using "expungement," but the legal process in Oregon is a set aside.
Oregon's set aside process involves a $265 court filing fee and an $80 Oregon State Police fee for a conviction case — roughly $345 in hard costs. Dismissed charges have lower filing fees. David's attorney fee is in addition to these filing costs. He'll provide an exact quote in your free consultation. Some clinics offer reduced-cost or free expungement assistance for income-qualifying individuals — David will point you toward those resources if that's a better fit.
For most set aside petitions, the process takes 3–6 months from filing to the court's final order, depending on the county and whether the DA's office objects. Multnomah County typically runs faster than rural counties. David manages the full timeline — you'll know at each stage what's happening and what's next.
To be eligible under ORS 166.274, you must have completed all terms of your sentence — including probation and parole — at least one year ago, and your conviction cannot be a Measure 11 offense (e.g., murder, rape, robbery) or a "person felony" involving a firearm or deadly weapon. You must be able to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that you do not pose a threat to public safety. David evaluates eligibility in the free consultation and will be direct about whether your case qualifies.
In many cases, yes. If your felony conviction is set aside under ORS 137.225, your Oregon firearm rights are often automatically restored as part of that process — no separate ORS 166.274 petition required. The key caveat: federal law is a separate question, and for some convictions, state restoration does not resolve federal firearms prohibitions. David evaluates both the state and federal picture in your consultation.
Oregon state restoration (set aside or ORS 166.274 petition) addresses state-level records. For the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), the interaction is more complex. In most cases, Oregon's set aside results in the conviction being removed from NICS, but this depends on how the federal database is updated and the nature of the original conviction. David discusses federal implications in every rights restoration consultation — this is not something he glosses over.
A Path Forward
Oregon Gives You a Path Forward. Let's Find Out If It's Open.
Your record may not be permanent. Your firearm rights may be restorable. The only way to know for sure is to talk to David — and that conversation is free.
Confidential. No judgment. No obligation. David responds personally within 30 minutes.
Or call directly: (503) 208-2950