Napa County DA Announces First Electronic Expungement Clinic

NAPA COUNTY, CA — Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced this month that her office has started the county’s first electronic Expungement Clinic, a new method that expedites the clearance of criminal records.

The clinic was founded to help offenders who have done well take down the barriers to services, employment and housing that a criminal conviction can create.

A request to have a conviction expunged is in essence an application to “take back” a guilty or nolo contendere plea, or set aside a guilty verdict at trial. Once a conviction is expunged, the official criminal record will no longer say “convicted” next to the crime. It will say the crime was set aside and dismissed. With some exceptions, this can help when applying for jobs or professional licenses and housing opportunities.

Applicants who meet strict criteria requirements are entitled under the law to have their Napa criminal convictions expunged from their record. The one-stop online portal provides an easy and electronically accessible platform for individuals to apply for expungement.

The application is free of charge, and the DA's Office said it will use Asset Forfeiture funds to pay for all court costs associated with expungement.

"By reinvesting asset forfeiture monies in this way, my office demonstrates our commitment to an abiding belief that keeping communities safe and healthy means doing our part in making people whole — defendants and crime survivors alike," Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said.

The Expungement Clinic portal is accessible only through the District Attorney’s website. The applicant can fill out three judicial forms electronically and email them to the Expungement Clinic address for processing.

Expungement will either be agreed upon by stipulation or the applicant will be given a court date and a judge will decide if the criteria are met. The expected timeline for response is 90 days.

According to the DA's Office, the clinic is only possible with the collaboration of the Probation Department and Napa Superior Court.

The Public Defender’s Office will provide legal advice if needed, according to the DA.

“The role of the District Attorney isn’t to gather convictions; it is to do justice," Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said."The expungement clinic enables eligible community members access to the full range of rights and responsibilities they are entitled to under the law."