Murfreesboro- TN  Rutherford County Re-Entry Program staff partnered with Belmont College of Law students and  Administrative Office of the Courts staff to host the second Expungement Clinic on Friday, March 24, 2023 for incarcerated Rutherford County Correctional Work Center participants. 

Expungement is a court-ordered process where the legal record of some criminal cases can be erased. Criminal records are often obstacles for individuals to obtain employment, housing, and other opportunities. Expungement Clinics assist justice-involved individuals to remove barriers and promote successful reentry to the community.   

The first Expungement Clinic held in November 2022 served 25 individuals and over 100 records were submitted for expungement.  The second Expungement Clinic served 30 individuals and 138 records were submitted for expungement. 

April has been designated as Second Chance Month, which is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of criminal conviction collateral consequences established in 2017.  More information can be found at https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/workforce/reentrytn/second-chance.html.

Rutherford County Correctional Work Center Superintendent William C Cope said, “This service provides a much needed second chance for so many to improve their quality of life. Employment, housing, and continued education can all be affected by the barrier that criminal history creates.  Successful re-entry of our offenders back to the community is a valuable part of our mission. When re-entry fails, the costs-both societal and economic are high.  A criminal record shouldn’t mean a life sentence for people who want to better themselves and their families.  People want to get their lives back on track but sometimes don’t have the resources or knowledge to do so. This is why these types of programs are so important. We want to help individuals have a second chance at life.”

More information about the Correctional Work Center can be found: