Wayne County hosts expungement fair to remove past convictions from public record

More than 2,000 people with criminal records are hoping for a second chance at an expungement fair hosted by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday.

The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fellowship Chapel at 7707 Outer Drive in Detroit. Pre-registration has closed, but walk-ins are welcome.

The expungements of certain misdemeanors and felonies are possible through the Michigan’s Clean Slate Act, which was passed by the state Legislature in 2020 and went into effect in April.

The act allows for the expungement of up to three eligible felony convictions and an unlimited number of certain misdemeanors. Some exceptions apply.

Under state law, an expungement removes misdemeanors and felonies from a convicted person’s public record.

To learn more about which convictions are eligible for expungement, visit the state’s website on the issue.

So far this year, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office reviewed 5,373 applications for expungement and is in the process of reviewing thousands more. In 2021, the office received 7,037 applications for expungement.

The AG’s office updated its expungement webpage this week to make the process easier.

“Increased demand is a good thing because it means more eligible Michiganders are taking advantage of our state’s expanded Clean Slate Law,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement Thursday. “My expungement team is diligently working to review every application in a timely manner, and I am committed to maximizing department resources to streamline and expedite the process.”

For more information on the expungement fair, click here.

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