Cook County officials are opening what they say is a open-stop shop for residents looking for a fresh start by expunging certain criminal records.
Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Iris Martinez on Thursday cut the ribbon on her office’s new Expungement Department, housed at the Leighton Criminal Court Building at 26th Street and California Avenue.
“The creation of this department is not merely an organizational change,” Martinez said during a news conference at the courthouse Thursday morning, “it is a strike toward breaking down barriers to access to justice.”
The new department will offer a centralized location for expungements, allowing for that paperwork to be filed in one spot. Previously, people had to go to the specific district where their case was heard in order to make these filings. The goal, the clerk’s office said, is to help eliminate hurdles for people seeking jobs, housing or education.
Darice Goodwin, associate clerk of the Criminal Bureau, said people were often frustrated with the old system.
“There’s transportation issues, money issues,” Goodwin said. “Absolutely, it’s frustrating, especially when you’re trying to clear up a record because you want to get housing, you want to get a job, you want to go to school, you want to apply for financial aid.”
Expungement is an option for people who were charged but not convicted of a crime, or for those convicted of some low-level offenses.
According to Martinez’s office, the department will offer assistance to those looking to file a petition for expungement as well as educational workshops and consultations. Staff will walk applicants through the expungement process, ensuring they have the necessary information and resources to clear their records.
Martinez said that through this department, her office is also eliminating some filing fees and bureaucratic hurdles.
“The need is so vital,” Martinez said. “We kept going all over the county … talking to the people about their needs. And this need was one of the biggest things that we had going on.”
Contact Matt Masterson: @ByMattMasterson | [email protected] | (773) 509-5431
