“Margaret”* originally came to Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) over 20 years ago seeking help expunging her criminal record, contained on microfiche no less, when she met with a team of lawyers in Newark. At the time, Margaret had two felonies, and this was long before New Jersey passed its expansive expungement laws. After meeting with the team of attorneys, Margaret found out she was ineligible for expungement even though the attorneys described her as “the poster child” for having her record expunged.

Even with Margaret having turned her life around, being in school for a degree in human services, and zealously pursuing a career, sadly, the law would not be of help. The attorneys recommended Margaret pursue clemency from the governor; Margaret completed the clemency petition, collected over 200 signatures, and mailed it to the Governor of New Jersey at the time. Nothing. No word and no clemency.