McHenry County Hosts First-Ever Expungement Clinic

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — McHenry County will host its amnesty week next week, which will allow people with past-due fines and unpaid traffic tickets to pay without penalty. And for the first time ever, the county will also be hosting an expungement clinic next Friday where people can prepare and file requests to clear their criminal record at no cost.

The McHenry County Circuit Clerk’s Office Amnesty Week will run from Sept. 25 through Sept. 29. During this time frame, people can settle their court debts by paying the original amount due before their cases were turned over to collections, according to a news release.

During amnesty week, anyone with a balance due on a criminal, traffic, DUI, ordinance, or conservation violation will be able to pay their total due, minus any late fees and collection interest that may have accumulated. The amnesty does not apply to any fines and costs which have already been paid, or any tax refunds which have been applied against what is owed.

The expungement clinic, held in partnership with the McHenry County Bar Association and Prairie State Legal Services, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 29, at the Michael J. Sullivan Justice Center, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock. Participants may be required to attend court in McHenry County for a hearing on the sealing or expungement request, according to a news release.

Last year’s inaugural Amnesty Week saved 33 individuals a total of more than $14,000 in late fees and interest, and more than $17,000 owed to the court was paid, Circuit Clerk Kathy Keefe said.

“Last year’s Amnesty Week, our first ever, was a success that gave people the opportunity for a fresh start by allowing them to pay their past-due case fines without fees and interest. We’re excited this year to add the expungement clinic as well,” Keefe said. “In the Circuit Clerk’s Office, we help people every day who have turned their lives around and are trying to clear their criminal records to help get a job or join the military. The expungement process can be challenging, and this clinic will be a great opportunity to give people access to the assistance of an attorney, free of charge.”

People may ask for a quote for the amount due in their cases, minus fees and interest, by emailing CircuitClerk@mchenrycountyil.gov, or by calling 815-334-4190. Payments can be made online at www.mchenrycircuitclerk.org, in person at the Circuit Clerk’s Office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., or mailed to the office at 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, IL 60098. Payments can be made by cash, personal check, credit or debit card.

Anyone with questions about Amnesty Week or the Expungement Clinic is encouraged to call or email the Circuit Clerk’s Office for further information.