LAFLA Pro Bono Expungement Clinic Program

LAFLA Expungement Clinic 

LAFLA operates monthly remote Expungement Clinics to help low-income individuals with their expungement needs on a pro se basis. The next clinic will be held on August 9^th from 4:45-7:30 p.m. Pro bono attorneys are needed to help meet with clients virtually to complete the expungement petitions and draft their declarations. Volunteers will be paired up to as a team to assist one client.
 

Training Description: Free online trainings are available on pbtraining.org. Pro bono attorneys will learn the basics of how to handle an expungement petition in the context of COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions. The trainings will provide an overview of the expungement process, offer tips on how to advise clients on navigating the procedural process while observing shelter-in-place requirements, and explain the status of court filings and hearings under COVID-19.

Training Links:

Expungement overview and best practices

How to read a DOJ Rap sheet

How to complete LA County Expungement Forms

Determining Eligibility for Expungements & Penal Code 17(B) Reductions 

What is an Expungement?

A record expungement allows individuals who have completed their sentence(s) to dismiss misdemeanor criminal convictions if particular requirements are met, allowing them to move on with their lives and seek jobs and other opportunities that would otherwise not be available. Though the expungement process is fairly simple for trained attorneys, many individuals eligible for expungements are not familiar with the process and are unable to adequately petition on their own behalf. For this reason, there is a high demand for expungement services in Los Angeles.