MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Looking for a clean slate, but have a criminal record?
An Expungement Clinic is just what the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk, Heidi Kuhn has ordered. People with felony charges they believe can be wiped clean from their record are invited to Hope Church to see if those charges are eligible for expungement.
"A lot of time people don't want to come down to 201 Poplar," said spokesman, Kevin Phipps of the Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk's Office.
Phipps says the road to expungement is meant to be as easy as possible for people who qualify. Staff will be on hand at the clinic to review criminal records to determine, which felonies meet requirements for expungement.
"First of all you're going to be greeted with a friendly face and we have great staff who are working and also the $100 clerk fee has been waived," said Phipps.
There are different classes of felonies that can be expunged and the clinic is a start. Once charges are determined eligible an individual's record goes before the DA for approval. Phipps says it's a process that can take up to 30 days to complete.
"Clerk Kuhn is a huge proponent of expungements, so she likes to bring the expungement clinics to the community."
No Expungement Clinics were not held last year because of the pandemic and the Criminal Clerk's office expects to help more people this year with something new. The DA's office is expected to release a list, which will include new charges that qualify for expungement before Saturday's clinic. The additional charges will increase the number of people who leave the event with a renewed sense of freedom.
"This is giving people a second chance, getting their records clean for either getting jobs or even able to move into an apartment or a house even, where they do background checks," said Phipps.
More than a dozen of these clinics have been held since 2018 and the Criminal Clerk's office says it's been to great response from the public.
The Expungement Clinic will be Saturday June 17, 2021 at Hope Church located on 8500 Walnut Grove Rd. from 9 am to 1 pm.