ReLeSe Program - Volunteer Resources

Thank you for volunteering with VLJ’s ReLeSe (Reentry Legal Services) Program! The resources below are meant to provide information and support to you while you volunteer with our  legal clinic.

CRIMINAL RECORD EXPUNGEMENT

Advisory Clinics

VLJ hosts a monthly, limited scope clinic, through Zoom to assist pro se litigants seeking to clear their criminal record (“expungement”). Attorney and non-attorney volunteers partner in teams to advise clients on their eligibility based on documentation the client provides and/or volunteers retrieve from public access databases, Promis Gavel and Municipal Court Case Search (MCCS). Eligible clients are sometimes asked to submit supporting documentation following their appointment and/or teams assist clients in completing a record request to obtain a copy of their records from municipal court(s). Clients who are eligible to seek an expungement, are invited to attend a second clinic to meet with attorney and non-attorney teams to prepare and e-file their pro se petitions through the e-courts online expungement tool. VLJ staff are present at every clinic to help answer questions!

Full Representation

For clients likely eligible for expungement relief but not suitable for pro se e-filing (e.g. limited tech abilities, complex case, etc.), volunteer attorneys represent clients in their petitions from initial filing to final order to lastly, the confirmation from the NJ State Police that the records were conformed to match the final order. Mentors are available if needed. Clinic volunteers are welcome to continue their representation, but that is neither expected nor required. Available full representation cases will be promoted on VLJ’s Case Opportunities webpage.

Next Steps

• New to volunteering with VLJ, please complete: registration form and watch the expungement trainings below.

• To volunteer at any (or all!) of the upcoming clinics: please email Karen Robinson at krobinson@vljnj.org with the date(s) and time(s) you are available.

Prior to clinics:

• Zoom link will be emailed to all volunteers the day before the clinic.

• Review trainings below including Eligibility Flow Chart and judiciary's video on eCourt expungements along with the expungement user guide.

• Prior to the e-filing clinic, clients will be asked to create a pro se eCourts account.

During clinics:

• Teams will be assigned and receive via email client’s intake information and any supporting documents the client brings to the clinic. Attorneys should briefly review the limited scope retainer agreement with client to ensure the client received and understood the agreement. If client was unable to sign the agreement in advance, please note on the clinic form that you read the agreement and whether they verbally agreed.

  • A nonattorney volunteer or other teammate should navigate and screen share the public access searches from the judiciary public access databases

    • Promis Gavel (generally shows indictable crimes) and

    • Municipal Court Case Search ("MCCS" generally shows disorderly persons, petty disorderly persons and local ordinance violations -- traffic matters can be disregarded for expungement purposes).

    • Please note that the public access data may not necessarily be accurate and/or all-inclusive, and so you may need to conduct additional searches during the clinic appointment.

  • Attorneys may also wish to search ecourts for expungement

• If client is deemed likely eligible, you can efile during the advisory clinic appointment if client is able to create an ecourts account. Petitions can be saved while in progress if time does not permit completing the filing. Or client can be scheduled for next available e-filing clinic. VLJ will be in contact with client post-clinic to coordinate.

During e-filing clinic: clients will share their pro se ecourts credentials. One member of the team should log-in and screen share so the team and client can work together and review.

• If client has technological difficulties creating an account, reviewing the petition during the clinic or is participating in the appointment via phone call, please do not submit the petition without their review. Save and email/mail it to client (or coordinate through VLJ) so they can review prior to filing.

• Criminal Case History: With the launch of expungements onto e-courts, clients may not necessarily need their Criminal Case History (CCH) reports (aka "rap" sheet), but there may be instances where this is still useful, such as multi-state/federal records, multiple aliases/misspellings of their name, and/or incomplete or inaccurate information. If needed, please instruct clients to visit: IdentoGO. Note there is a $45 fee. If this fee is a hardship, please indicate on the clinic form and VLJ may be able to assist.

Post-clinic:

• Each team must complete and submit a form for each client they met with to report to VLJ (this is particularly helpful to tell VLJ what are the next steps).

  • For Advisory Clinic - Complete Eligibility and Assessment Form

  • For E-Filing Clinic -Complete E-Filing Report Form

• Please note if you would like to continue to assist client at another clinic appointment or fully represent their case matter.

Questions? Please reach out to legal assistant Katiana Guerrier at (973) 645-1951 ext. 103 or kguerrier@vljnj.org or managing attorney Karen Robinson at (973) 645-1951 ext. 111 or krobinson@vljnj.org.

training videos

Criminal Reentry: Providing a Second Chance Through Expungement and Driver's License Restoration (3 hr)