2nd Annual Expungement and Record Sealing Summit
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Stone Creek Church, 2502 S Race St, Urbana (Race/Windsor)
Participant Registration here.
The Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office is hosting its second annual Expungement and Record Sealing Summit in partnership with many local organizations, including IL State Rep. Carol Ammons, IL State Sen. Scott Bennett, Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Public Interest Law Initiative, Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Stone Creek Church, the Urbana Park District, Ann’s House, and First Followers.
The Summit is held on a Saturday in the fall, and is designed to provide free legal assistance to those who wish to clear their criminal records. Participants meet with volunteer attorneys who review their criminal history, advise them on what remedies they may apply for, and help prepare petitions. Qualified petitions are able to be filed for free on-site.
PRIOR to the Summit, participants need to follow these steps:
- Register for the event through this survey. By registering, they can prepare a folder for you to be viewed by the attorney(s) assisting you.
- Obtain a fingerprint Criminal History Transcript from the Illinois State Police. You may do this by making an appointment at one of the local police agencies. All transcripts MUST be received by the Champaign County Circuit Clerk’s Office by Friday, September 22nd. You will not be given a time slot for the Summit if you have not obtained your transcript.
- Review any balances you may have on Champaign County cases, and whether or not you still have a pending case. The law does allow for a judge to deny a petition if you have unpaid fines and fees. If you do not know whether or not you have a balance, please visit the Champaign County Circuit Clerk website, or call 217-384-3725. Pending cases will affect your ability to qualify for criminal records relief. If you are still on probation, or have not completed the terms of your court supervision, you may not qualify for expungement or sealing.
AT the Summit, several steps will take place:
- Check In: You will check in, and hear from presenters about the process for the day.
- Record Review: This year, all record review will take place PRIOR to the Summit, so that when you arrive, your eligibility will have been determined by our hard-working volunteer attorneys.
- Petition Preparation: You will work with a volunteer attorney to complete your petition(s) for expungement or sealing.
- Petition Filing: You will then file your petition with the Circuit Clerk’s office there on site. All filing fees for Champaign County petitions will be waived for that day. Though your State Police transcript includes records from all Illinois counties, only petitions for Champaign County cases will be prepared and filed at the Summit.
AFTER the Summit:
- Once your petition is filed, the regular court process will begin. Copies of the petitions will be sent to relevant agencies who will have up to 60 days to respond or object. If no agency objects, the judge may grant your petition. If there is an objection, a hearing will be scheduled, at which time you will be able to state your case in front of a judge.
- Once a petition is granted, judicial orders will be sent to all parties, who will be directed to either destroy or seal (hide from view) the record. Please note that it may take 3-4 months following the Summit for your record to be expunged or sealed.