Law school partners with state AG office to host expungement fair

Cooley Law School will host an expungement fair from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, in the law school’s lobby in Lansing. Michigan Representative Emily Dievendorf will be the featured speaker at the event. During Cooley Law School’s expungement fair last April, the law school served 402 individuals. Of those 402 who were screened for eligibility prior to and during the event, 151 individuals were eligible to have their records expunged under the current guidelines, including 77 walk-ins on the day of the event.

The event will be held in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, and Safe & Just Michigan. Registration has closed for those wishing to have their convictions expunged. However, limited walk-in appointments will be accepted on the day of the event.

Expungement removes arrests and convictions from a person’s public criminal record. Criminal offenses that have been expunged are no longer accessible to employers or landlords.

Michigan law has always allowed for expungements, but the “Clean Slate” legislation enacted in 2020 made more individuals and offenses eligible for expungement. This process became available to the public in 2021. On April 11, 2023, the automatic expungement provisions went into effect, allowing for the automatic expungement of some felonies and misdemeanors. Under the new law, individuals with up to three expungement-eligible felonies and any number of misdemeanors can have their records expunged. Certain traffic violations and first-time operating while intoxicated offenses can be expunged.

Additionally, misdemeanor marijuana convictions that would not have been considered crimes after recreational marijuana was legalized in Michigan can be expunged.