Ventura County Residents Clear Criminal Records with Help from CRLA and Pro Bono Partners

OXNARD, Calif. — California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA), Bank of America, McGuireWoods LLP, and Jubilee Legal will host a free legal clinic for United States citizens eligible for criminal record expungement on June 12, 2024 from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

This in-person clinic will occur in the Elizabeth R. Topping Room of the E.P. Foster Library on 651 East Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001. During the clinic, volunteer legal professionals will assist community members with their expungement petitions. Following the clinic, CRLA will file all petitions with the Ventura County Superior Court and notify clients of their outcomes.

For appointments, prospective clients are encouraged to call (805) 902-CRLA or email reentry@crla.org. Interpreters will be available for clients whose primary language is not English. Appointments are strongly encouraged and will be prioritized, but walk-ins are welcome.

Criminal record expungement confers numerous benefits for individuals convicted of certain misdemeanors and felonies. When applying for a job, individuals who successfully expunge their criminal record can lawfully answer “No” if asked whether they have been convicted of a crime. Moreover, an employer is not permitted to consider an expunged conviction that is discovered through a background check in making a hiring decision.

“A criminal record represents a substantial and enduring obstacle standing in the way of individuals who have served their time,” said Joseph Doherty, Managing Attorney at CRLA’s Rural Reentry Project. “By expunging criminal records, our office helps our clients become full, productive members of society once again and move past their prior offenses.”

An expungement also benefits those seeking state professional licenses. To be sure, even after an expungement in many circumstances, an individual must disclose a conviction in response to a question posed in an application for a state license (e.g., a contractor license or real estate license) or in an application for public office. However, many licensing agencies are more likely to look favorably upon individuals who have successfully completed probation and whose convictions have been expunged.

The California Policy Lab estimates nearly 1 in every 8 Californians with a criminal record is potentially eligible to obtain a full criminal record expungement; 81% of Californians with a criminal record are estimated to be eligible to have at least one prior arrest or conviction expunged. 

In Ventura County alone, over 160,000 convictions are potentially eligible for expungement, according to Judicial Council of California estimates. CRLA’s June 12th clinic will provide access to much-needed expungement services.

“The vital expungement services we will provide in our June 12th clinic will not only facilitate reentry for individuals with a criminal arrest or conviction but also improve access to equal justice for all,” said said Charlotte Pashley, McGuireWoods LLP Los Angeles Office Pro Bono Leader.

“The experience of working with community members in-person is a wonderful opportunity to see the process of justice working for the people who need it the most,” said Marin Stuve, Administrative Legal Secretary at CRLA’s Rural Reentry Project. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of the people who receive help at our clinics is always the best outcome,” she said.

“CRLA is both proud of and grateful to our pro bono partners who will help make the June 12th clinic a success,” said Jose Alvarez Torres, CRLA’s Pro Bono Coordinator. “This collaboration is a great example of the private Bar, community-based organizations and CRLA working together to provide high quality legal services to low-income Ventura County residents
in need,” he said.

The June 12th Clean Slate Clinic in Ventura is a part of a five-county mass record clearing campaign, including Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties.

If you are interested in clearing your criminal record or being a volunteer at one of our clinics, please contact CRLA at (805) 902-CRLA or email reentry@crla.org.