A major milestone for the Clear My Record (CMR) Project was the creation of the UMKC Expungement Clinic, which provides a transformative platform to support individuals in their pursuit of second chances. In the Clinic, law students gain valuable hands-on experience as they collaborate with seasoned attorneys and educators to help people determine their eligibility for expungement and obtain representation in litigating their expungement claims. Together, they champion the cause of a more equitable, efficient, and accessible expungement system in Missouri. Through direct representation, the Clinic ensures that individuals who lack the financial means to hire an attorney receive the legal assistance they need. Moreover, through a new and expanding initiative, the Clinic serves as a vital link between individuals and community resources, fostering connections that pave the way for comprehensive support.
Another significant milestone for CMR was the receipt of a generous $700,000 three-year grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health in 2021. It has enabled UMKC School of Law to engage in important policy work to make expungement in Missouri more fair, effective, and accessible. The Project conducts research and engages individuals, organizations, and government entities in working groups to identify issues and propose solutions to improve the expungement process. It relies heavily on information derived from legal and interdisciplinary research as well as researching the criminal records of more than 1000 people who have applied for assistance in order to find gaps in the system and attempt to resolve them. Work done by the Project has already assisted in legislative change, and a new bill making significant positive changes has passed and is sitting on the Governor’s desk to (hopefully) be signed.