The Oak Park Expungement Fair offers free felony expungement assistance

OAK PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) – People with criminal records can determine whether they are eligible to have their convictions expunged at a free release fair in Oak Park later this month.

Attorneys from Lakeshore Legal Aid will be at the Oak Park Library on Oct. 29 to help people determine whether they qualify for deportation. The fair will also help those eligible get the process started and provide community resources to participants.

The mass begins at 6:30 p.m. Register here.

Some crimes are automatically expunged after a certain period of time, while others require you to request that the convictions be expunged.

Automatic releases are available for people with up to four misdemeanors that are punishable by a prison sentence of 93 days or more after seven years have elapsed from the date of conviction. For criminal offenses, up to two convictions can be automatically expunged after 10 years from the date of conviction or after the expiry of the prison sentence, whichever is later.

If you do not have a conviction that is automatically expunged, you can find help applying for expungement on September 20th at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation and on September 30th at the Andy Arts Community Center in Detroit.

To obtain a release, you must fill out an application and obtain a certified conviction from the court where you were convicted. You will also need to be fingerprinted and purchase a $50 Michigan State Police money order. This process can take up to eight months.

Most state crimes can be expunged after a certain period of time. These include up to three felonies, two assault convictions, one drunk driving misdemeanor and an unlimited number of misdemeanors.

Crimes that cannot be eradicated:

• More than one felony conviction for the same offense if the offense is punishable by a prison sentence of more than 10 years
• Crimes or attempts with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment
• Sexual Crimes: Material or activity crimes involving child sexual abuse. Using a computer to commit sexual offenses. Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct. Using a computer to commit sex crimes. Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree. Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree. Fourth Degree Sexual Offense Conduct committed after January 12, 2015
• Material or activity child sexual abuse offenses
• Using a computer to commit sex crimes
• Assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct
• Using a computer to commit sex crimes
• Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree
• Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree
• Fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct committed after January 12, 2015
• Second degree child abuse
• Human trafficking
• Domestic violence offense if the person has previously committed a domestic violence offense
• Some traffic offenses include: Drunk driving resulting in injury or death. Drunk driving when a person has committed more than one traffic offense that resulted in injury or death. Commercial Driver License Violations
• Operating under the influence of alcohol resulted in injury or death
• Acting under the influence of alcohol when a person has committed more than one crime
• Traffic offenses that resulted in injury or death
• Commercial Driver License Violations
• More than two convictions for assault