Expungement Archives - Fines and Fees Justice Center

The High Cost of a Fresh Start: A State by State Analysis of Court Debt as a Bar to Record Clearing

A criminal record can make it hard to get a job, support a family, secure housing, vote, and ultimately pay off fines and fees. Despite efforts by states to provide …

The High Cost of a Fresh Start: A State by State Analysis of Court Debt as a Bar to Record Clearing

A criminal record can make it hard to get a job, support a family, secure housing, vote, and ultimately pay off fines and fees. Despite efforts by states to provide …

Fines and Fees Are a Barrier to Criminal Record-Clearing

Nationally, court debt is estimated to be over $27 billion; unpaid monetary sanctions creates barriers for system-involved individuals who try to clear their criminal records through expungement, including the cost …

National Center for Access to Justice Fines and Fees Index

In 2016, the National Center for Access to Justice debuted it’s Justice Index and in May 2020, it was updated for the second time. The Fines and Fees Index, an …

Special Report: How a legal system dependent on fines, fees affects Oklahomans

This five-part series uses personal accounts from Oklahomans to show how fines and fees negatively affect people who cannot afford them.

Clean Slate Day

Clean Slate Day is an annual event that provides relief to people who owe fines and fees to the Topeka Municipal Court.

Iowa v. Jane Doe

Jane Doe, an indigent woman, was denied expungement for failure to pay court-appointed attorney fees. Doe argued that her equal protection rights were violated because defendants who owe fees to privately retained attorneys can expunge their criminal records, while defendants owing court-appointed attorney fees cannot.

Kansas Supreme Court: Ad Hoc Committee Report on Bonding Practices, Fines and Fees in Municipal Courts

This report was published by the Kansas Supreme Court following a rigorous assessment of Kansas municipal court practices. It advances 18 recommendations for judges and courts to more fairly and constitutionally impose and enforce fines and fees and outlines an implementation plan for reform.

Arizona HB 2312: Relating to setting aside a conviction.

This bill prohibits Arizona courts from charging filing fees for applications to have a judgment of guilt “set aside” or to have a conviction cleared from an individual’s criminal record.

Illinois HB 5341: Amendment, Criminal Identification Act Section 5.2

This bill provides that a court cannot deny a petition to seal or expunge a criminal record simply because the individual has not satisfied outstanding court debt, and waives certain fees that apply to expungement applications.