This summit is an opportunity for individuals to receive free legal consultations on their options for criminal records relief. Volunteers will prepare petitions to expunge and/or seal records for eligible participants to file in the appropriate circuit court.
Two opportunities are available and volunteers are required to attend the applicable trainings.
1. Attorneys are needed to review criminal records in advance of the summit.
Friday, January 11, 2019, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Jury assembly room at the Macon County Courthouse
2.0 hours of MCLE Credit will be applied forAttendees at this training will be given an overview of current expungement and sealing law. The first step of preparation for the summit is figuring out what remedies each participant is eligible for. This requires advance review of the state police record and local criminal and some traffic records and charting the information in a concise fashion that can easily be converted into pro se pleadings the day of the summit. This training will include a hands-on experience working on an actual case file with the opportunity for questions and feedback. Participants can then take additional files with them to work on at their convenience over the following week. Some criminal law experience is helpful for charters.
2. Attorneys and law students are needed to meet with clients at the summit on February 2nd.
Friday, February 1, 2019, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Richland Community College, Shilling Center
3.0 hours of MCLE Credit will be offeredThis training will also provide an overview of expungement and sealing law. It will focus on the information needed to counsel participants at the summit on February 2 and how to prepare paperwork for those eligible for expungement or sealing of criminal records. The training corresponds with the charts which will have already been completed for each participant. Prior criminal law experience is not needed for this because the legal analysis of the criminal records will have already been completed by the charting volunteers.
This event is sponsored by the American Job Center, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Community Renewal Society’s Don Benedict Fund, DeWitt County Circuit Clerk Michelle R. Vanvaley, the Goodwill Career Center, the Joseph Assignment, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Macon County Circuit Clerk Lois A. Durbin and the Sixth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee.
If you would like to meet with an attorney about expunging or sealing your criminal records, please call the Macon County Circuit Clerk’s Office at 217-424-1439 or 217-421-0272.
Volunteer attorneys can register by using the form below. If you have any questions or problems with registration, please contact us by email or 312-832-5127.