Kent Felony Lawyer

Trusted Felony Attorney in Kent

Just outside the Seattle metro area, Kent, Washington, is no stranger to felony crimes. You may find yourself charged with Driving Under the Influence for a simple mistake along Washington State Route 167 or assault after a misunderstanding at Kent Station Shopping Center. Felony charges are serious and can have substantial consequences. Having a Kent felony lawyer on your side to help you navigate the legal system and protect your rights is crucial.

ARK Law: Your Compassionate Legal Representation 

At ARK Law, we approach every case from two angles: the factual and legal challenges of the case and our desire to tell your story. Our team is especially passionate about helping juveniles and individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 who may be struggling under the weight of a felony charge.

We understand how even a simple mistake or misunderstanding can lead to a lifetime behind bars, and we want to do everything in our power to keep that from happening. Andrea King works diligently to represent you, thoroughly preparing for every case and bringing compassionate support.

We advocate for you in courts like the Second Superior Court for King County in Kent, Washington. Our firm has experience handling cases in this court and can help you understand the process.

Defining Felonies in Kent, WA 

In Washington, felony penalties are categorized into several different classes based on their severity. These classes include: 

• Class A felonies. These are the most severe felony crimes in Kent and can carry the most severe penalties if an individual is convicted. Charges can include murder, kidnapping, and assault in the first degree.
• Class B felonies. While not as severe as Class A crimes, these charges should be taken no less seriously and include crimes of residential burglary, theft in the first degree, or assault in the second degree. Class B felonies can still be strike offenses that open a person up to life in prison in the future, which is why it is so vital you hire a Kent felony attorney.
• Class C felonies. While these charges often carry the lightest penalties in felony cases, the consequences that may arise from a conviction can still have severe impacts on your future. Charges can include those for possession of a controlled substance, like heroin or fentanyl, perjury, theft in the second degree or assault in the third degree.

Penalties for Felony Offenses

There are some criminal offenses with their own penalties, but the majority of felonies carry the following penalties:

• Class A felonies. Conviction of a class A felony carries life imprisonment. It may also carry a fine of up to $50,000, instead, or both imprisonment and a fine.
• Class B felonies. Conviction of any class B felony results in confinement for ten years, or a fine of $20,000, or both.
• Class C felonies. A class C felony conviction results in five years of imprisonment, or a fine of $10,000, or both.

In King County in 2024, there was an average felony jail sentence of 4.7 months and an average prison sentence of 65 months, or over five years.

These penalties can have severe consequences on your immediate future, freedom, and finances, as well as many other collateral consequences after you serve your sentence. With so much on the line, it’s crucial that you hire a felony lawyer.

Types of Felony Charges We Defend in Kent

Felony charges in Washington span a wide range of conduct, and the right defense strategy depends heavily on the specific charge you’re facing. ARK Law defends clients against felony charges including:

• Violent crimes. This includes murder, manslaughter, assault, robbery, and kidnapping. There were six murder offenses and four manslaughter offenses reported in the county in 2025. There were also 195 offenses of aggravated assault and 16 kidnapping offenses.
• Domestic violence felonies. This includes felony violation of a protection order. There were 451 violations of a protective order in King County, which included felony and misdemeanor violations.
• Drug crimes. This includes possession, delivery, and manufacturing of a controlled substance. There were 202 drug or narcotics violations in the county.
• Firearm violations. This includes unlawful possession of a firearm. The county saw 86 weapons violations.
• Property crimes. Felony property crimes include offenses like residential burglary and theft in the first or second degree. There were 334 burglary offenses in the county.
• DUI-related felonies. This includes vehicular assault and vehicular homicide. A vehicle was involved in 59.1% of negligent manslaughter offenses in the state.
• Sex offenses. This includes offenses like rape and other crimes against persons. There were 64 rape offenses in King County, as well as 46 pornography offenses and 12 prostitution offenses.

No matter the charge, our approach stays the same: understand the facts, protect your rights, and work for the most favorable outcome available to you.

What Happens After a Felony Arrest in Kent

An arrest is only the first step in a felony case, and knowing what comes next can ease some of the uncertainty. Felony cases in Kent are filed in King County Superior Court at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, located at 401 4th Avenue North. Here is a general outline of what to expect:

1. Investigation and arrest. First, agencies like the Kent Police, the King County Sheriff’s Office, or other state and federal agencies may conduct an investigation. Depending on the nature of the offense, this investigation may be concurrent with your arrest, or may happen before you are arrested. Law enforcement can arrest you if they have probable cause to believe you committed a crime.
2. Booking. Following an arrest, you may be booked into jail and held pending your first court appearance. Booking will involve getting basic identifying information, including photographs and fingerprints. You will also be searched, and your personal belongings will be taken. There will be a short interview with a personal recognizance screener.
3. First appearance. You are entitled to a first appearance hearing within 48 hours in King County. This hearing determines if there was probable cause to conduct your arrest. If there was probable cause, you may be held in jail until the prosecution files charges, which they are required to do within 72 hours.
4. Arraignment. The arraignment occurs if the prosecution decides to file charges. This is your first formal appearance before a judge, where the charges are read, and you enter a plea. This should almost always be “not guilty” at this stage so your attorney has time to review the evidence.
5. Bail and release conditions. At the arraignment, the judge decides whether you are released on your own recognizance, released with bail, or held in custody based on the severity of the charge, your criminal history, and flight risk.
6. Pretrial and omnibus hearings. Your attorney and the prosecutor exchange evidence, discuss the strength of the case, and may begin plea negotiations. The official case hearings will also be scheduled.
7. Resolution. A felony case can end in a negotiated plea, a dismissal, or a jury trial. The right outcome depends on the specific facts of your case and the strategy your attorney builds around it. Trials take longer and can be very stressful, but they may be the right option to advocate for your future against the charges you face.

Every stage of this process is an opportunity to protect your rights. Having a Kent felony lawyer involved from the arraignment forward can affect everything from your release conditions to your final outcome.

The Effect of Sentencing for Kent Felony Cases

Apart from legal penalties like jail time and fines, individuals convicted of a felony in Kent may also face several collateral consequences, even after they have served their sentence. This includes:

• Employment consequences. Individuals convicted of a felony face a 30% unemployment rate when reintegrating into society. Having a criminal record can greatly limit your employment opportunities.
• Housing application issues. Having a criminal record can also create issues with obtaining housing. Property managers and landlords are less likely to approve applications for those with felony convictions.
• Loss of your professional licensing. You may lose or be unable to obtain many professional licenses after a felony conviction. That includes nursing, medical, commercial driving, and teaching licenses. This can further threaten your employment opportunities.
• Financial aid eligibility issues. Being a felon can prevent you from getting certain types of governmental financial aid.
• Immigration status consequences. For non-U.S. citizens, conviction of a felony can result in inadmissibility, deportation, and other consequences.
• Loss of firearm rights. If you lawfully owned firearms before your case, a felony conviction will also strip your right to possess them, though Washington law provides a path to restore those rights in certain circumstances once your case is resolved.
• Loss of voting rights. You can lose your right to vote when you are imprisoned for a felony. These rights are automatically restored when you are released from prison, but you must still register to vote again to receive a ballot.

Avoiding conviction of a felony is the most effective way to avoid these consequences and their impact on your life.

What Impacts Your Sentence?

When convicted, your sentence may be determined by three factors and their involvement in your case. These factors include:

1. Offense Classification
   Based on the classification of the offense, the seriousness of the crime may determine the penalties you face. This includes classifications such as serious violent, violent, non-violent, sex offense, and crimes against persons in cases where extreme violence or cruelty was used. The felony Class of A, B, or C will also impact the seriousness of the offense and where the sentencing options begin.
2. Criminal History
   If you have past criminal convictions, they will be counted as points and might increase the sentence you receive. An experienced felony lawyer knows the scoring guidelines well and can use them to your advantage to minimize the potential sentencing range you are facing.
3. Presence of Aggravating or Mitigating Factors
   A judge can impose a sentence above or below the standard sentencing range if aggravating or mitigating factors are found to be present. Aggravating factors can include the use of a weapon during the crime, the vulnerability of the victim, or the presence of multiple victims.

Mitigating factors, which ARK Law is particularly passionate about and experienced in arguing, can include characteristics of youthfulness, committing the crime under duress, coercion or threat, or continued physical or sexual abuse by the alleged victim before the crime occurred.

Washington’s Sentencing Reform Act

Washington’s Sentencing Reform Act (RCW 9.94A) uses a structured sentencing grid to calculate the standard range for most felony offenses. Each crime is assigned a seriousness level, and that level is cross-referenced against your offender score to produce a standard sentencing range. Your offender score is a number based on your prior criminal history.

Maximum penalties by felony class are set separately under RCW 9A.20.021. They include up to life in prison for a Class A felony, up to 10 years for a Class B felony, and up to 5 years for a Class C felony.

Because the grid can be difficult to interpret without legal training, it helps to work with a felony lawyer who can accurately calculate your offender score and challenge it where appropriate. This is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from a harsher sentence than the law requires.

Why Do You Need a Kent Felony Attorney?

You need a Kent felony attorney to protect your rights and work for the ideal outcome in your criminal case. There are many ways that your defense attorney helps and benefits you, including:

• Legal knowledge. The right criminal defense attorney understands the legal specifics of a criminal trial in Washington and Kent. They know important deadlines and timings for pre-trial motions. This makes the entire case much simpler.
• Rights defense. An attorney defends your rights in each step of the process, from an arrest and your booking to the trial itself. If your rights are violated, your attorney will take steps to protect you.
• Defense assessment. Your attorney can review your unique case to determine the right defense. Depending on the information you give your defense attorney and their investigation into the prosecution’s case, they can walk you through what options you have. They can also explain what likely outcomes of your case are, including outcomes for plea bargains or taking the case to trial.
• Plea negotiation. If a plea deal is the right way to handle your case, and one is offered by the prosecution, your defense attorney can negotiate the plea bargain.
• Trial defense. Your attorney advocates for you in court.

FAQs

What’s the Difference Between a Felony and a Misdemeanor in Washington?

The main difference between a felony and a misdemeanor in Washington is their penalties. Felonies are the most serious category of crime in Washington and carry the possibility of state prison time of more than one year, while misdemeanors and gross misdemeanors are handled in district or municipal court and carry shorter maximum jail sentences. The classification of your charge determines which court hears your case and what long-term record you’re left with.

Can a Felony Conviction Be Sealed or Vacated Later in Washington?

Some felony convictions in Washington can eventually be vacated, though eligibility depends on the offense class, how much time has passed, and whether you have completed all sentencing conditions. Some felony convictions are permanent. Our vacating and sealing team can review your specific conviction and let you know what options may be available.

Will I Automatically Go to Jail if I’m Convicted of a Class C Felony?

You will not necessarily go to jail if you’re convicted of a Class C felony. Class C felonies carry lighter maximum penalties than Class A or B offenses, and your actual sentence depends on your offender score, the specific charge, and any aggravating or mitigating factors present in your case. An experienced attorney can often negotiate alternatives to incarceration depending on the circumstances.

What Is a “Strike Offense” in Washington?

A “strike offense” in Washington refers to the state’s Persistent Offender Accountability Act, commonly known as the “three strikes” law. It requires a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for individuals convicted of a third “most serious offense,” or a strike offense, which includes many Class A and Class B felonies. This is why even a Class B felony should never be treated lightly.

How Much Does Hiring a Felony Lawyer in Kent Cost?

The cost of hiring a felony defense lawyer in Kent varies. Felony defense fees vary based on the complexity of the case, the felony class, and whether the case is likely to proceed to trial. Most defense attorneys charge an hourly fee, so a longer case will have higher costs. More experienced attorneys also tend to charge more, but could also be more effective at securing a beneficial outcome to your case in less time.

Hire a Felony Lawyer Today by Contacting ARK Law 

If you have been charged with a felony in Kent, Washington, you have come to the right place. With years of experience as a King County criminal defense attorney and appointments as a public defender for juveniles in King County, attorney Andrea Kim is now ready to turn her time and attention to your felony case.

By telling your story and giving voice to your rights as a human being, our firm is ready to resolve your case in the most favorable way possible, up to and including advocating beside you through a jury trial. We want to help you protect your future.

Attorney Andrea Kim has taken felony cases through jury trial to verdict, including not-guilty findings on assault and sexual offense charges. Contact our offices today for more information.