Expunction Project – Eligibility Review and Petition-Drafting Work Session

Students will review applicants’ criminal history records and determine their eligibility to expunge or obtain orders of nondisclosure of criminal records. Students will learn about the consequences of having a criminal record and about expunction and nondisclosure laws in Texas. Students will apply this knowledge by analyzing whether an individual’s criminal records meet the eligibility requirements for expunction or non-disclosure under state law. Students then will use court records and eligibility information to draft petitions and orders for expunction or nondisclosure. An expunction destroys all criminal records related to an eligible offense, and a nondisclosure seals the records so that applicants no longer have to disclose their criminal history on background checks. This is the first of four Eligibility Review and Petition-Drafting Sessions that will be held this semester.

Organization

Mithoff Pro Bono Program

The Expunction Project is an internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program.

Project Details

Project Date

Monday, September 16

Project Time
6pm-9pm
Approximate hours of work requested
3 hours, including training
Training
Volunteers will be trained in the first 30 minutes of the work session
Skills used
Legal records review; legal analysis; legal writing
Project location
TNH 2.124
Number of student volunteers requested
20
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Students with an interest in social justice, navigating the criminal legal system, and engaging with criminal history records are encouraged to volunteer