The third annual Burlington County Expungement Clinic will be held Thursday, November 2nd from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at two locations, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Burlington City and the JFK Recreation Center in Willingboro Township.
Those who attend will be able to speak with an attorney to see whether certain non-violent convictions can be expunged, which means they will be erased from their criminal history.
“Many people who made mistakes earlier in life are still being punished simply because they have a criminal record,” Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw said. “They have already paid their debt to society, and should not continue to be punished by their history when they apply for jobs, housing or other services they may need to improve their situations and help their families.”
Prosecutor Bradshaw emphasized that this service, which is entirely free, would be very costly if done through a private attorney. Last year, more than 300 people turned out to receive help.
Those who are planning to attend and speak with an attorney about a possible expungement should bring any information they have about the case they are hoping to address. However, if that information is not in your possession, it can be retrieved electronically at the clinic.
The Burlington County Expungement Clinic is organized and overseen by the Burlington County Bar Association, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, and the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender – Burlington County section.
Tabernacle Baptist Church is located at 150 East 2nd Street in Burlington City, and the JFK Recreation Center is located 429 John F. Kennedy Way in Willingboro. A special thank you is in order to Tabernacle Baptist Church, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Cory L. Jones, as well as the Willingboro Parks and Recreation Department for their support, assistance and willingness to host the events.
In addition to expungement assistance, several organizations will be on hand November 2nd to offer the following services:
- Access to free addiction treatment
- Assistance with clearing motor vehicle fines
- Blood pressure checks
- Government identification cards issued
- Housing assistance
- Job information about open local positions
- Re-entry services
- Services for families with youth in detention
- Voter registration services
A free lunch will be provided.
The job fair will be located at the Burlington City location, while the majority of the other services will be offered at the JFK Center in Willingboro. Services from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission will be at both locations. Those who plan to attend the job fair are encouraged to bring a resume.
Assistance is being requested from the legal community to help with this year’s events. If you are licensed to practice law in New Jersey and would like to take part in the clinic, please contact BCPO Assistant Prosecutor Alexis Agre at AAgre@co.burlington.nj.us. Be advised that a Zoom training is required to participate, and will be held October 24th from 4:30 pm – 6:45 pm. The training can be accessed at https://burlcobar.org/cle.php. If you participated in last year’s clinic you do not need to undergo the training again.
Participation of legal students is also being sought to assist with the intake of information. If you are a law student and would like to help at the clinic, please send an email to info@abwl-nj.org.
We are extremely grateful for the assistance of our additional sponsors and partners, including:
Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey, Aunt Mary’s Dispensary, Burlington County Bar Association Foundation, Burlington County Dept. of Human Services, Garden State Bar Association, Hope One Burlington County, Minority Student Program at Rutgers Camden Law School, NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission, NJ Motor Vehicle Commission, Oaks Integrated Care Justice Involved Services, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, The Beloved Project, The Links Rancocas Chapter, Virtua Health and Volunteers of America – Delaware Valley.
2023-35 Burlington County to Hold Third Annual Expungement Clinic