District Court hosts Drug Conviction Relief Day

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Grays Harbor County District Court will host a Blake Refund Day on Sept. 30 to implement the requirements of the landmark Washington State Supreme Court decision in State v. Blake.

In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Washington’s then-liability drug possession statute was unconstitutional, which impacted thousands of convictions statewide. As part of the effort to comply with this ruling, Grays Harbor County District Court will vacate approximately 2,100 affected cases and the state of Washington will refund roughly $500,000 in legal financial obligations to eligible individuals.

“This event is a critical step in ensuring justice is restored to people impacted by the unconstitutional statute,” said Judge Megan Valentine, presiding judge of Grays Harbor County District Court. “Our court has worked diligently to identify cases, set the refund process in motion, and make sure those entitled to relief receive it. It’s the court’s responsibility, and privilege, to help restore fairness and provide real relief to those impacted.”

People with Washington state Blake-related drug possession convictions may apply for financial and record-clearing relief at the Sept. 30 event, which will be held at Grays Harbor District Court in Aberdeen located at 2109 Sumner Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Legal aid groups will be on hand to determine the eligibility of convictions for free. If an individual’s conviction is eligible, the court will begin the process to clear (“vacate”) those convictions, and any refunds owed will be initiated for processing.

A collaboration of judicial organizations, legal aid groups, and local support organizations will be in attendance, including Grays Harbor County Public Health, Grays Harbor DUI Therapeutic Court, Coastal Community Action Program, Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, Civil Survival, Northwest Justice Project, Washington State Office of Public Defense, Quinault Wellness Center and Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts.

This event is not limited to those with convictions in Grays Harbor County. However, those with Grays Harbor County convictions who are eligible for refunds and vacation of their convictions have been notified by mail with information about their case and the refund process.

Members of the public who think they have a Blake-eligible conviction are invited to register at

https://blakedaygraysharbor.eventbrite.com to attend the free event. While walk-ins are welcome, registering in advance allows the groups to find qualifying cases in anticipation of the event and helps to expedite relief efforts on the event day.