SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 3, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake County has published handy information for those hoping to put their past behind them and qualify for expungement of their criminal records.
“Now is the time to go through the expungement process,” reads the post on the Salt Lake County Government Facebook page. “This year, many of the fees for Utahns to clear their record are waived. For example, normally it would cost a minimum of $655 to expunge three eligible criminal cases. Until July 2023, it only costs $65 total.”
The posting further suggests using the following link to an online toolkit “to help you or someone you know go through the process: Slco.org/expunge”
The toolkit website “is a community resource that provides information and guidance on cleaning up your Utah criminal records. You can use this Toolkit and go through the expungement process without an attorney.”
Processes for expungement:
- The website notes processes for “automatic expungement” to check on, where “Some low-level records will be automatically expunged by the courts. No application or petition is required.”
- The petition-based process is the process for cleaning up records that do not qualify for automatic expungement. “The petition process is complicated and lengthy” the site states, providing access to step-by-step and necessary forms.
- The “402 Reduction” occurs when the court agrees to change a conviction to a less serious degree, meaning requesting a judge to act. The site outlines steps to take.
- Traffic expungement forms and instructions also can be accessed; however, it is important to note that DUI is not just a traffic offense, and requires the petition-based solution.
If a lawyer is needed, Utah Legal Services provides free expungement assistance to those who qualify.
