In this video, we’ll be exploring the topic of right restoration. What is right restoration, and what laws permit it?
If you’re interested in learning more about criminal law and the various rights that are available to criminals, then this video is for you! By the end of this video, you’ll have a better understanding of what right restoration is and the steps you need to take to restore your rights.
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Transcript
Speaker 1
00;00;00;03 – 00;00;01;09
Hi, everyone. If you’re a convicted felon in Wyoming, stay tuned and I’ll tell you how you can get your rights restored automatically. This is Christina Williams, with Just Criminal Law
Speaker 2
00;00;12;24 – 00;00;14;08
And this is David Mann, legal storytelling specialist. Okay, so that is a pretty interesting thing to explore. Felons can get their rights back in Wyoming. Explain that.
Speaker 1
00;00;23;06 – 00;00;26;06
Well, this year, the legislature passed a law where felons, as long as it’s a non-violent felony, will get a certificate restoring their rights; that is, getting their right to vote back, their right to hold public office, their right to own and possess a firearm – all these important rights that people lose as felons, they will automatically be restored. There’s just a few things that you need to know.
Speaker 2
00;00;52;24 – 00;00;53;06
Okay. So I guess the first question would be, does this apply to any kind of felony at all?
Speaker 1
00;00;59;01 – 00;01;01;19
Well, it’ only nonviolent felonies. So, for example, if you are convicted of an aggravated assault, you are not eligible for this. You unfortunately can never get your record expunged or your rights restored. So violent felons are exempt.
Speaker 2
00;01;16;10 – 00;01;16;22
Okay. So narrowing it down to those that apply, how does this work? Is it just automatically right now this happens for everyone?
Speaker 1
00;01;25;26 – 00;01;28;06
Well, if you were off of probation and parole in 2010 or after, yes it will automatically happen. Now, if your probation or parole ended prior to 2010, you’re going to have to fill out some paperwork. But it can still happen without going before the judge or anything. And so, for the people who automatically get it, you have to wait five years from the the day you’re off paper – that is, the day you’re off probation or parole. And then the Department of Corrections will issue you a certificate, restoring your rights.
Speaker 2
00;02;08;10 – 00;02;09;18
Wow. All right. So if we sort of do some quick calculation about this, so anybody between whose parole ended from the beginning of 2010 right up to somewhere in 2018, so about five years ago, they’re just free and clear. And then from 2018 forward, the people whose parole ended, need to wait a certain amount of time. Is that what you’re saying?
Speaker 1
00;02;34;08 – 00;02;34;20
Right. So say, for example, you got off of probation and parole in 2020. Now, you’re going to have to wait five years. So in 2025, you should be getting your certificate, restoring your rights.
Speaker 2
00;02;48;27 – 00;02;49;27
All right, great. So once you have the certificate, then if there’s any question about whether you have violated some kind of your rights, that maybe you wouldn’t have had as a felon, do you show the certificate or how does that work?
Speaker 1
00;03;03;09 – 00;03;04;15
Well, yes. I mean, you’ll get the certificate. You don’t have to do anything. I mean, if you want to go and vote, go to where you register to vote and you show that office your certificate. If you want to buy a firearm, you know, you can present that certificate when at the place that you need to apply for the permit to have the firearm. So it’s just a piece of paper that you get to take with you. And, you know, if you want to run for public office, again, you show your certificate.
Speaker 2
00;03;36;23 – 00;03;37;10
Because this will still be on your record. So there might be a question about this, because everyone might not know this fact, that you have these rights. So that would be what that would be for, right?
Speaker 1
00;03;46;06 – 00;03;46;23
Right. Right. And you know, it is a good point David. It’s still on your record. And a lot of people want to be free and clear of this prior mistake that they made when they were younger. And they can, actually, go one step further and hire an attorney and apply to have the conviction expunged from your record; that is, have your record cleaned so that, you know, if anyone ever were to ask, ‘Have you been convicted of a felony?’ you can honestly say no. Because your record will be clean.
Speaker 2
00;04;21;22 – 00;04;22;15
Wow. Yeah. And you need an attorney for that, such as yourself and your team. So how might someone get in touch with you for that?
Speaker 1
00;04;28;06 – 00;04;29;20
Sure. We’ll include a link in the description where they can call, text, or chat with a member of my team, any time. Day or night. Here at Just Criminal Law, we know you only get one shot at justice. So make yours count!
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