For Immediate Release: January 10, 2023
NEW ORLEANS, LA— Tomorrow, January 11, 2023, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) will work with a group of partners to host an expungement event that will be located at 4035 Washington Avenue, Suite 203, in New Orleans, LA. The event will begin at 5 p.m. and is aimed at expunging records for moderate to low-income New Orleans residents. The Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University and PCEJ donated more than $10,400 to cover the costs of expungement filing fees for Orleans parish residents with an Orleans conviction and financial need.
“In Louisiana an arrest automatically creates a criminal record, even if there isn’t a charge placed against the person. People rely on expungements, but they can be pricey. That $550 price tag can be the difference between someone being able to land a job, get into school, or obtain housing for their family,” said Ashley Shelton, CEO for PCEJ.
With Louisiana having the highest expungement costs in the nation, this event will host attorneys, free of charge, to complete expungement petitions for individuals seeking to have charges expunged from their record. Interested participants in need of financial assistance must be able to provide court paperwork and proof of income. A Louisiana Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) award letter and/or a most recent pay stub will suffice. Participants are also expected to bring a background check, court minutes, and their bill of information. All participants will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.
The coalition of partners hosting the expungement event include PCEJ, The Center for Racial Justice at Dillard University, Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Darren Lombard Clerk of Criminal District Court, and Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Contact Information:
Tia Suggs, Project Coordinator for the Center for Racial Justice
Email: tsuggs@dillard.edu
Phone: 504-900-3797
Marissa Hogan, Communications Associate for PCEJ
Email: mhogan@powercoalition.org
Phone: 504-952-4287
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Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ) is dedicated to supporting and coordinating civic and voter engagement across Louisiana. We are guided by values of justice and racial equity and work with our partners to build an integrated civic engagement strategy that amplifies the voices of those who have historically been ignored, and organize them into a unified movement. PCEJ focuses on building power in traditionally marginalized communities, particularly Black and Brown communities, by equipping people with the knowledge and information they need to find their voice and learn where and when to use it.