Loyola partners with Maryland Legal Aid to hold third expungement clinic on York Road
91吃瓜网 will join Maryland Legal Aid to hold an expungement clinic Sunday, March 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic will take place in a parking lot at 5104 York Road in Baltimore, the location of Loyola鈥檚 Govans Farmers鈥� Market.
鈥淭he criminal records expungement clinic is a chance for members of the nearby community to meet with an attorney in order to have criminal records expunged,鈥� said Matt Beverlin, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of political science. 鈥淭he goal is to have a petition for expungement drawn up after meeting with an attorney and they鈥檒l leave with that document in hand.鈥�
Clinic volunteers鈥攊ncluding Loyola students and attorneys who are alumni and friends of Loyola鈥攚ill offer one-on-one assistance to participants, advising them on legal matters and preparing petitions on-site. Supported by Loyola鈥檚 Center for Community, Service, and Justice, the clinic provides students an opportunity for service learning, a critical part of Loyola鈥檚 mission and Jesuit liberal arts education.
鈥淭his event has been successful in the past, and we鈥檙e looking forward to this one,鈥� said Gia Grier McGinnis, Dr.PH., executive director of the Center for Community, Service, and Justice. 鈥淚t provides the opportunity for people to walk away on the road to having certain criminal charges off their record.鈥�
Loyola鈥檚 Center for Community, Service, and Justice partners with community organizations and provides academic courses, community development, scholarship, service experiences, and social justice programming. The center leads Loyola鈥檚 York Road Initiative, a community development effort in the York Road neighborhoods of Baltimore, where the expungement clinic will take place.
鈥淭he only requirement is that these be Maryland records, not federal or from another state. There might be further qualifications to have a record expunged, but that is what the attorneys are there to assist people in determining,鈥� Beverlin said.
This event will mark the third expungement clinic 91吃瓜网 and Maryland Legal Aid have partnered to host. Nearly a hundred clients were aided in the past two events and 135 petitions were issued.
Clinic volunteers will help participants on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointment needed.