Cook County to hold Second Chance Summit for expungement, sealing of criminal records

Next month, people with certain criminal convictions will have the chance to get their records expunged or sealed, as Cook County hosts its annual Second Chance Summit. The countywide event is set for Saturday, Oct. 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kennedy King College, 740 W. 63rd St., Building U. The event is designed to clear past record and help give people a second chance, according to Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Mariyana Spyropoulos. "Sometimes people are arrested, but not convicted, and the case has been dismissed, but the arrests are still on your record," Spyropoulos said Tuesday. "If you're going for jobs, if you're going for housing, education, sometimes that can get in the way. So this is a free opportunity, a free event October 10 to have your record either expunged or sealed. ""Expungement is a complete clearing of your record, and certain offenses qualify and some don't, and our attorneys on site will explain all that," she said,"and a sealing means that it's just not open to the public, but police, law enforcement, and prosecutors can still have access to that information, but it's not something that the general public could see. ""So for something like an expungement, a DUI, reckless driving, domestic battery, a violation of protection order — those are the kind of things that do not qualify," she said. "in addition, if you have an arrest, you have to wait at least a year after it's been dismissed in order to come and ask for an expungement. "The Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court allows people to come in for an expungement any time of the year. This can be completed at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse at 26th Street and California Avenue, or any other Cook County courthouse, Spyropoulos said. But the goal of holding an event for expungement and sealing of records is to make the process more accessible. "From the beginning to end, we have attorneys that will consult for free. How often does that happen? And you will actually get a court date if you qualify and you go through the process with us," Spyropoulos said,"and we want to make sure that we're traveling around Cook County, give more accessibility to people, and you know, just give people an opportunity to start a second chance. " Spyropoulos' office noted that employers required by law to conduct fingerprint background checks, such as schools and hospitals, may still access felony convictions even if sealed. Further, her office noted, the FBI receives a copy of a person's criminal record that will remain its files, and the criminal records kept by the FBI are not subject to Illinois' expungement provisions.