Expungement Day Planned by Chamber Later This Year

(SUSAN ZIELKE)

Many people make poor choices when younger that leads to them having a criminal record.

The speaker at the March Chamber First Friday Luncheon explained that not all such offenses have to remain on someone's record.

Susan Zielke is Managing Attorney for Land of Lincoln Legal Aid's Eastern Regional Office. Zielke shared that just because someone was arrested for an offense, it doesn't necessarily mean that the individual was convicted. Even if someone was convicted of certain offenses, though, it doesn't always that the conviction has to remain on their record.

Zielke said sometimes a record can be expunged, meaning the public couldn't see whether someone has a recrod. In some cases, the record needs sealed so people can't view someone's conviction record. Her take is that if someone served their time, they need a new start.

Zielke said that landlords, employers, and even educators review criminal records.

Local attorney Kaye DeSelms Dent partnered with Zielke at Friday's luncheon. Dent's office works with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid on Expungement Days.

Land of Lincoln Legal Aid and the Effingham County Chamber plan to partner on an Expungement Day event on October 14.