Expungement of past criminal records can help participants move past societal barriers and more easily improve their own lives and the lives of those around them.
The Koch Pro Bono Initiative joined with Kansas Legal Services and Goodwill of Kansas on April 4 for a criminal record expungement drive.
- The expungement drive pairs Kansans with prior arrest records and convictions with free legal assistance provided by volunteers from Koch and its partners. The assistance is aimed at getting participants familiar with the process and the necessary legal documents they might need to get their records expunged.
Why it matters: A criminal record established from mistakes committed long ago can sometimes prevent people from fully participating in society by denying them access to employment and educational opportunities. By qualifying for expungement, participants can move past those barriers and more easily improve their own lives and the lives of those around them.
- “We want to help individuals achieve success,” says Matt Ellis, Koch’s chief counsel for commercial and pro bono. “We want to remove barriers so that people can transform themselves and their lives, and as more people do that, it will make our communities better.”
Zoom out: Volunteers at the event assisted nearly 80 people with more than 140 cases from Wichita and surrounding areas who had signed up for the expungement clinic.
- The event is part of Koch’s broader community stewardship initiative, which includes supporting educational programs, youth development, strengthening the workforce and uplifting communities.
What’s next: The Koch Pro Bono Initiative will hold driver’s license reinstatement clinics in Wichita and Houston, Texas, in May. In the past year, the pro bono team held events in Kansas, Georgia, Minnesota, Iowa and Louisiana.
