Opinion ID: 1124314
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Unnamed felonies

Text: The trial court attempted to lessen the prejudice by admitting the prior conviction under ER 609(a)(1) as an unnamed felony. But unnaming a felony is not a substitute for the balancing process required under ER 609(a)(1). State v. Rivers, 129 Wash.2d 697, 706, 921 P.2d 495 (1996). If the balance merits admission, it is anomalous to un name the felony as it is generally the nature of the prior felony which renders it probative of veracity. Courts should not admit unnamed felonies under ER 609(a)(1) unless they can articulate how unnaming the felony still renders it probative of veracity.