Looking to get criminal charges expunged in KY? Get help at these free legal clinics

Lindsay Smith

Goodwill Kentucky is hosting several free clinics in February and March to help people in the commonwealth get their criminal record expunged.

Expungement is a process in which an individual’s criminal charge or charges are erased completely, meaning they are treated by the court as if the charge had never occurred at all.

“What we do is we partner with legal professionals to provide free services to individuals because on average, you know, if you were to hire an attorney and get a [charge] expunged from your record, that’s on average about $600,” Kyle Williams, Goodwill’s communications coordinator, said. “A lot of people we might see have done something when they were 18 years old that just stuck with them, and it’s a cloud over their head.”

The dates for the clinics are:

  • Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 130 W. New Circle Road, Lexington, KY

  • Feb. 23 from 9 to 11 a.m; 243 W Dixie Ave., Elizabethtown, KY

  • March 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m; this is a virtual clinic

  • March 14 from 9 to 11 a.m; 4460 Kit Carson Drive, Richmond, KY

Attendees can speak to lawyers at the clinics to start the process of expungement. The clinic takes about three hours and 30 minutes per individual.

Last year, the clinics resulted in about 2,500 expungements.

All clinics are being capped at 50 participants. To register, visit goodwillky.org/expungement, where you can view the event fliers and RSVP through the online links.

The registration link asks participants to allow a background check of their criminal record. The record will be used so participants can ask attorneys at the clinic what charges can and can’t be dropped through the process.

The clinic is free of charge.

The deadline to register for the Lexington clinic Friday has passed, but the clinic set for Feb. 23 in Elizabethtown is still accepting clients, as well as the others.

Out-of-state charges cannot be expunged through the clinics.

Expungement in Kentucky

According to the state’s expungement guide, individuals can attempt to remove old misdemeanors and Class D felonies.

The process begins with requesting a certificate of eligibility that requires a $40 fee, according to the manual. Eligibility requirements vary by charge, and you can learn more by visiting the expungement guide.

To contact Goodwill Kentucky on their expungement-related services, call 1-877-309-0262.

This story may be updated.

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