SALT LAKE CITY — This month, a change to Utah's expungement process could provide a pathway for people with a criminal record to eliminate certain offenses. One in four Utahns have some sort of criminal record according to RASA Legal.
"It's a huge barrier for people who have criminal records," Noella Sudbury stated while discussing the new program that provides a waiver to cover the Bureau of Criminal Identification certificate fees.
Noella Sudbury is the found and CEO of RASA Legal, a company that helps people traverse the expungement process. "It's overwhelming, and so we'd be we've become passionate about making it simple and affordable for everyone," Sudbury explained.
Expungement is a process you can go through to get a court order for your criminal
records to be sealed from public access. Even old and minor criminal records, according to Sudbury, hold people back from all sorts of opportunities including jobs, apartments, professional licenses, getting TSA pre-check, or even participating in your children's school activities.
" I do this work because I believe in second chances," Noella said. "I believe that people should be seen as people first and that everybody deserves the opportunity to be able to thrive and contribute to their community and move past those past mistakes into a life where they can support their family."
Criminal offenses that are eligible for expungement in Utah include:
- Misdemeanors under the Utah Traffic Code: 10 years
- Felonies under the Utah Controlled Substance Act: 10 years
- Other felonies: 7 years
- Class A misdemeanors: 5 years
- Class B misdemeanors: 4 years
- Other misdemeanors or infractions: 3 years
Your criminal record may not be expunged if you were charged with a felony DUI, vehicular homicide, or if your conviction required you to register as a sex offender.
Repeat offenses as well as particularly harmful crimes, like violent crimes, first-degree or capital felonies, can be grounds for denying expungement petitions.
You can visit Rasa Legal's website to determine your eligibility for the fee waiver and use the expungement eligibility tool. The site will guide applicants through the process and help them understand their options under the new law.
