What is an expungement?

• Having a past criminal conviction can negatively affect an individual’s ability to access housing, employment, or insurance coverage. An expungement is the practice of converting a criminal conviction or traffic citation into a nonpublic record. Setting aside, or expunging, a conviction does not completely erase the conviction in the eyes of the criminal justice system, but it will make it so that most entities will not be able to see the conviction when they run a criminal record check. This can make a huge difference to individuals who are trying to move on from their past mistakes.

What has changed with the Clean Slate legislation?

• On April 12, 2021, the bipartisan Clean Slate Bill went into effect. The legislation makes it easier for individuals to have certain felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic offenses removed from their record. The bill expanded the list of which offenses may be expunged, and adjusted the timeline for when an expungement may take place. This chart compares the prior expungement scheme with the new Clean Slate legislation.

How can I have my record expunged?

• The current changes apply to expungement through the petition process. That’s when someone applies for expungement and it is decided by a judge in the court where the conviction occurred. (The new legislation also provides for automatic expungement of certain offenses, but that provision does not go into effect until 2023.) Michigan Legal Help provides guidance on how to petition to have a past conviction expunged. Our office can also assist with this process and help individuals determine whether they are eligible for expungement. Hopefully this new legislation helps more Michiganders move on from past mistakes and build better lives!