Clear Your Record, Open New Doors

A criminal record can create lasting barriers to employment, housing, education, and financial stability—even years after you've completed your sentence and rebuilt your life. Expungement and record sealing offer a legal pathway to clear eligible convictions from public view, giving you a fresh start.

Our Expungement & Record Sealing Legal Aid Application helps you apply for free or low-cost legal assistance to determine if you're eligible for record clearance and guides you through the process. Whether you're struggling to find work, blocked from housing opportunities, or simply ready to move forward, this application is your first step.

What is expungement and record sealing?

Expungement removes eligible criminal convictions from your record entirely, while record sealing restricts public access to your record so most employers, landlords, and background check services can't see it. Eligibility varies by state and depends on factors like the type of offense, time since conviction, completion of sentence, and your conduct since.

This form collects the information legal aid organizations need to assess your case, including details about your criminal record, rehabilitation efforts, employment barriers you've faced, and your current circumstances.

Who qualifies for legal aid?

Most legal aid programs prioritize individuals with limited income who cannot afford private attorneys. You may qualify if:

• You meet income guidelines (typically at or below 125–200% of the federal poverty level)
• You're facing significant barriers due to your criminal record
• Your conviction(s) meet eligibility requirements for expungement or sealing in your jurisdiction
• You've completed all sentencing requirements including probation, parole, fines, and restitution

How Paperform streamlines legal aid applications

Legal aid organizations use Paperform to make the application process more accessible and efficient. With conditional logic, applicants only see questions relevant to their situation, and automatic eligibility screening helps both applicants and staff quickly identify strong cases.

Forms built with Paperform can include document uploads for court records, certificates of rehabilitation, and employment rejection letters—keeping everything organized in one place. Legal aid teams can use Stepper to automatically route applications to the right attorney, send confirmation emails with next steps, and update case management systems without manual data entry.

This template helps legal aid organizations, public defender offices, social services agencies, and community legal clinics deliver faster, more dignified service to people seeking a second chance.