This Friday, the Wichita Bar Association is hosting its Clean Slate Day, which helps low-income people who are struggling with the cost of expunging their criminal records.
The event will feature free legal help for people looking to erase certain criminal convictions. Participants will work with volunteer lawyers to get up to five offenses taken off of their record.
Clean Slate Day is encouraged by many local government officials, calling it a second chance for those who have to disclose an arrest or criminal conviction during a job interview.
Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell praised the program at Wednesday’s weekly meeting.
“A lot of these [offenses] are really just personal mistakes people have made in the past that have nothing to do with public safety,” Howell said. “So, in that regard, I think this is a good program.”
Clean Slate Day is limited to adult convictions processed through either the City of Wichita Municipal Court or Sedgwick County District Court.
For a conviction like theft or drug possession to be expunged, all related fines and court costs must be paid. There’s also a waiting period of three or five years before expungement is possible, depending on the severity of the crime.
Each participant will go before a judge for approval. There are numerous crimes that are not eligible for expungement.
The event will be held on March 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Courthouse.
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