ALTON – Simmons Hanly Conroy, a national leader in the legal representation of mesothelioma patients and their families, joined forces with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Springfield Urban League, and other local agencies for an expungement and sealing summit on Oct. 18 at Community Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Jacksonville.
“It is rewarding to dedicate time to this worthwhile cause, helping attendees overcome the barriers to self-improvement, education and re-entering the workforce that are so common after a legal setback,” said Simmons Hanly Conroy Chairman John Simmons, who volunteered at the event. “These members of our community all deserve a second chance and fresh beginning.”
Criminal records create a stigma that can be hard to overcome. According to the Center for American Progress, “Nine in 10 employers, 4 in 5 landlords, and 3 in 5 colleges and universities now use background checks to screen out applicants with criminal records.”
Volunteer attorneys at the summit processed for expungement and/or sealed 204 total records. Expungement erases a legal record of an arrest, court supervision or certain probations from an individual’s criminal record. Sealing prevents businesses and other entities from accessing a person’s criminal record without a warrant. The process can be complex, daunting, long and expensive, which is why community clinics offering assistance are so meaningful.
One story that stood out at this year’s event involved a local U.S. Army veteran navigating a lingering, prohibitive legal complication. Although he was employed, his work in agriculture was seasonal and hardly sufficient to cover the expenses of raising his five children. His dream of getting a job with the state alongside his mother became more of a reality after volunteers filed an expungement of his decade-old misdemeanor record.
Simmons, who joined the U.S. Army out of high school, took a special interest in this Iraq War combat veteran. Simmons said, “For me personally I had a connection with him. His legal run-ins were shortly after coming home from deployment and he’s been doing right since. It was the least I could do to thank him for his service.”
“Our mission is to serve those in need,” said Pastor Samuel Holmes, who leads Community Temple COGIC. “We’ve all failed in one way or another, and expungement is a way to give someone a second chance.”
