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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Is Seattle considering eliminating most misdemeanor crimes?

By Laura Brickman
NO

Seattle is considering an amendment of its criminal code to allow additional "duress" defenses for those accused of misdemeanors.

Seattle's current law allows charges to be dismissed if an individual is ruled to have committed a crime under "duress." The amendment, proposed by Seattle council member Lisa Herbold, would add poverty and mental illness to the list of permissible "duress" defenses. But it wouldn't eliminate the crimes from its code.

"This proposal would not...provide blanket immunity from most misdemeanors, nor...an absolute defense," Herbold wrote. "The legislation would allow the judge and/or jurors to consider not just what may have happened but why it may have happened."

A decision on the proposal is not due until after the city's annual budget process in late November.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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