May 2017

Rhode Island House Panel Approves Expungement Bill

Adding to the list of on-going states looking to give those with a criminal history another chance, the House Panel approved a piece of legislation in Rhode Island that would allow a judge to wipe a record with as many as five misdemeanor convictions clean. With unanimous approval from key House committee and support from Attorney …

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CO Governor Hickenlooper Pardons Felon to Fend Off Deportation

Last week, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D), gave a pardon to a Cuban immigrant for an armed robbery he committed at a Blockbuster video store in 1998. Rene Lima-Marin came to the U.S. during the 1980 Mariel boat lift  from Cuba. Despite obtaining legal residency, Lima-Marin was convicted in 2000 and was sentenced to 98 years …

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Memphis Mayor Lends Hand in Paying for Expungements

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is doing his part to give those with a criminal past a second chance. Mayor Strickland gave a recent news conference stating his goal to help non-violent offenders pay for record expungements through his Better Memphis Fund. “Expunging people’s record is important in so many ways,” Strickland says. “It helps people find a …

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Why Employers in California Need to Reevaluate Their Criminal Background Check Policies ASAP

Changes are coming to California in the area of employer background checks. The Department of Fair Employment and Housing has put new regulations in place regarding employers’ ability to evaluate applicants through a criminal background. These regulations are meant to help limit potential ‘adverse impact’ on protected groups by businesses’ broad use of making employment decisions based …

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Why a Staffing Agency Should Partner with an Expungement Firm

Most people in this country WANT a job and WANT to work to provide for themselves and their families.  Did you know that almost 1/3 of American adults have some sort of criminal record?  When you combine that with the fact that mostly every job application asks “have you been convicted of a crime?”, it …

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Peoria Expungement Summit Helps 250 Individuals Take Step Forward

Prairie State Legal Services and Illinois State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth held and all-day event in Peoria entitled the Expungement Summit earlier this month.  Around 500 individuals with criminal records showed up, with 250 eligible individuals taking the first steps towards getting their record cleaned by filing their legal documents with 50 attorneys who volunteered to …

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Wisconsin Troubled Youths Getting A Second Chance

Wisconsin lawmakers have begun efforts to sustain a bill under state law that would allow offenders from ages 17-25 to ask a judge to wipe their record clean if they complete their sentence. The request must be made at the time of the sentencing, but state representative Evan Goyke is confident the bill will do …

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Going to Canada With a Criminal Record? Not so Fast

Ah, Canada. Our northern neighboring country is filled with many amazing things: pristine mountains, amazing wildlife and picturesque cities. Planning to make a visit? If you have a criminal record, you may want to rethink it. Canadian law states that individuals with a criminal record may enter the country ten years after their sentence is …

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Georgia Police Pitching In To Provide Knowledge of Record Expungement

The lives of the legally challenged can be rough sometimes. The Snellville Police Department in Georgia has taken it upon themselves to lend a hand to these struggling individuals who cannot find work. The department has been organizing events in the local area, such as an upcoming event at Gwinnett High School on June 3rd, …

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