Welcome to the Rising Scholars Network Clean Slate Program!

After you register, you will be invited to a Program Kickoff Meeting on campus. A Live Scan operator will be onsite to submit everyone's fingerprints to the California Department of Justice. Both you and The Access Project will receive a copy of your record in the mail within a few weeks.

The process can take 2-6 months in total, depending on both how quickly you are able to write your personal statement and gather supporting documents, and on the backlog of the court to which you are applying for relief.

Some cases are “mandatory” meaning that the court must grant your petition. In others, the judge has discretion on whether or not to grant your petition. This means that it is up to the judge to determine whether granting your relief is “in the interests of justice.” When petitions are discretionary with the court, you must write a personal statement telling the judge about the positive steps you have taken in your life since your last conviction, and why you are hoping to expunge your record. It is also helpful to gather letters of support from those who can speak to your record of rehabilitation, and certificates, diplomas or any other documents that you would like the judge to see.

All costs for reviewing your record and applying for relief, including Live Scan fees and court filing costs, will be covered by The Access Project.  In limited circumstances, after a successful petition, the court may charge a fee of $60-$240 that The Access Project cannot cover. We will help you file a fee waiver to try to avoid this cost.

Owing fines, fees, or restitution for a conviction does not bar a person from filing for relief, but the judge may take debts into account in deciding whether to grant your application. Expungement does not automatically erase the debt, but in some cases you can ask the judge to cancel or lower it. See the FAQ page for more details.