“I met with about 12 people myself,” said Rose Willette, an attorney in the Rockford office of Prairie State Legal Services. “It was the second time I worked on this event. Customers were very grateful for our support. They all wanted to “tell their story”, what their sealing/eradication would help them. Most people hoped for access to a better job. » Get your second chance! Prairie State Legal Services and the Legacy Reentry Foundation, in partnership with New Leaf Illinois, are pleased to host a “Radiation and Reintegration Fair” on April 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 420 W. Clayton St. in Waukegan, IL.
State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) held his 2022 Second Chance Summit on May 20 at the Nordlof Center in downtown Rockford. More than 170 individuals participated in one-on-one interviews with volunteer lawyers to obtain free legal assistance in preparing applications to expunge or seal criminal records. Prairie State Legal Services and New Leaf Illinois recently launched a new public and outdoor transit advertising campaign to increase awareness and the number of people calling for cannabis to be removed from our service areas. Advertisements appear on and on buses, bus shelters and benches along the North (Waukegan), Heritage (Joliet), DuPage, River (Elgin/McHenry Co.) and Fox Valley (Aurora) bus routes. Several billboards are also used in Bloomington and Peoria. The Erase Your Record campaign directs people to the www.eraseyourrecord.org microsite and New Leaf Illinois website to learn more about their rights and the process of removing cannabis and other criminal records. The campaign now runs until August/September. or call (855) 963-9532.
A legal aid professional will assess the applicant`s suitability and contact them to discuss possible next steps. Depending on eligibility and need, services may include free legal information, self-help instructions, document review and preparation, legal advice and, where appropriate, referrals to a network of legal aid and pro bono lawyers for legal representation. Stadelman organized the summit for the third time to help people who find their previous legal problems to be long-term barriers to finding employment, housing or training. Clear your criminal record. Meet with a lawyer for FREE on Thursday, June 30 and July 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Freeport Public Library, 100 E. Douglas St., Freeport, IL, to learn more about the erasure and sealing process and how to get legal assistance. A total of 300 people received free legal aid at the 2018 and 2019 summits. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the event in 2020 and 2021. Free legal aid is available to individuals who attend in person AND who are eligible for Prairie State Legal Services.
Clear your criminal record and restore your driver`s license! Prairie State Legal Services is a founding member and partner of New Leaf Illinois, a new network of 20 nonprofits across the state that provide free legal representation and other resources to help qualified individuals who wish to expunge cannabis-related convictions from their records. New Leaf Illinois was made possible by the specific funding requirements of the Illinois Cannabis Legalization Act of 2019. “One person was so grateful for our help in helping him remove old crimes from his file that he cried and asked to hug me. This is a great service to give people a new life when it comes to expanding employment and housing opportunities. “I did a lot of crime mapping before the summit, but it was wonderful to meet these names in person,” said Heather Skrip, counsel in Prairie State`s Rockford Legal Services office. Pre-register by calling Sophia Cotton at (224) 321-5637. New Leaf Illinois advocates for equal justice for all those who have ever been arrested or convicted for consuming, producing and selling cannabis. Expungement (meaning that a plaintiff`s arrest, indictment, or criminal conviction cannot be seen by the public) is a step toward repairing the damage caused by the war on drugs, which has unfairly hit people of color and those economically disenfranchised. This includes significantly improving applicants` chances of finding employment, improving their education, applying for public support and acquiring rental housing. by Prairie State Legal Services | February 26, 2021 | Latest News and Articles Prairie State Legal Services, Rockford Public Library and United Way of the Rock River Valley have returned as partners of the event for a third year. Funding provided in whole or in part by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. If you or someone you know could benefit from having a cannabis record erased, visit www.NewLeafIllinois.org.
Those seeking help from New Leaf Illinois can register online at www.NewLeafIllinois.org. Call 815-965-2902 and tap the option to have the current client make an appointment. Walk-ins seen when time permits. Aptitude tests required for all candidates. In addition to Prairie State Legal Services, other volunteer lawyers were elected this year, including Rosemary Collins, retired judge of the Winnebago County Circuit Court, the first woman to serve on the local bench. Due to COVID, please wear a mask and do not bring children. “Deletions through the New Leaf program provide protections for people facing housing or work discrimination based on past cannabis records,” said Lacy Burpee, R2W program coordinator and attorney at Prairie State`s Waukegan office. “A criminal record can prosecute someone for life. New Leaf offers people with cannabis records a way to move beyond their past and look to their future. Funding is provided by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and the Illinois Department of Human Services, as well as the Office of Reception Centers for Refugee and Immigrant Services. Illinois allows people who meet certain requirements to ask a judge to remove charges from their records or hide them from the public.