San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, San Luis Obispo County Probation Department, San Luis Obispo Defenders, Restorative Partners, People’s Justice Project, California Rural Legal Assistance, and San Luis Obispo College of Law will host a free legal Clean Slate Clinic for San Luis Obispo County residents for criminal record expungement, felony reduction, and arrest record sealing on Friday, March 8, 2024.

Over the past couple of weeks, CRLA clients and advocates have creatively engaged in zealous advocacy in a number of significant litigation cases. We wanted to share a snapshot of these cases.

After his cancer diagnosis, Ernesto was denied essential services due to his inability to pay more than one thousand dollars every month for his healthcare. In a significant victory, CRLA managed to restore Ernesto’s healthcare services that had been taken away due to their inability to pay.  

The funds position California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. to significantly expand community-led justice in rural areas on the front lines of climate change, the housing crisis, and other statewide challenges.

The State Water Board’s September 2023 decision has statewide policy and downstream impacts and represents the state government’s unwillingness to confront decades of pollution by the agricultural industry—despite rising nitrate contamination and resulting lack of clean, safe, affordable drinking water for many communities.

Name and gender marker corrections open the door to a life of safety, stability, and authenticity for CRLA clients. Yet many people may feel intimidated by the process or unsure of their rights or where to start. Legal services can make the difference for them.