Got an old stain on your record? The District Attorney’s Office is giving everyone a chance to potentially erase it.
D.A. Dan Dow’s Office announced an upcoming “SLO Clean Slate Clinic.”
“The free legal clinic,” reads a press release, “helps eligible county residents pursue criminal record expungement, felony reduction, and arrest record sealing under California Law.”
The D.A. has held these clinics before but there’s a change coming. The clinic “is moving to a rolling quarterly enrollment model. Eligible residents will now have four opportunities each year to enroll.”
Several agencies are working together on this. “The clinic is a joint effort of the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, SLO County Probation Department, San Luis Obispo Defenders, Restorative Partners, People’s Justice Project, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA), and San Luis Obispo College of Law.”
Not everyone is eligible for a clean slate. “Record relief is not automatic,” the release said, “and it is not a shortcut. California Law allows these remedies only for people who have completed probation or served their sentence and met the conditions the court imposed.”
Not all crimes get a second chance either. “Certain offenses, including specified sex offenses against children, are not eligible for expungement under Penal Code Section 1203.4.”
There’s of course a review process. “Each petition is screened first by the SLO County Probation Department and then reviewed by the District Attorney’s Office, which may oppose any petition it believes should not be granted. A judge makes the final decision.”
And like the Internet, it never really goes completely away. “Record relief also does not erase accountability,” the release said. “An expunged conviction can still be charged and proved as a prior conviction if the person commits a new crime, and expungement does not restore the right to own or possess a firearm.
“Orders to pay restitution to victims remain in effect and are always eligible to be converted to a civil-judgment for recording as a lien.”
How does the new system work? “Under the new model, community members may enroll at any time before each quarter’s enrollment cutoff. Three of the four quarterly clinics will process petitions by appointment, without a public clinic event.
“The Spring 2027 Clean Slate Clinic will include a public clinic event at the SLO County Law Library on Friday, March 26, 2027.”
The Clean Slate Clinic Quarterly System is:
• Winter 2026 — Enrollment cutoff: Nov. 30 by appointment only. No public event.
• Spring 2027 — Enrollment cutoff: To Be Determined. Public clinic event: Friday, March 26, 2027, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., SLO County Law Library, 1050 Monterey St., #125, San Luis Obispo, CA 93408. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are strongly preferred.
• Summer 2027 — Enrollment cutoff: May 31, 2027, by appointment only. No public event.
• Fall 2027 — Enrollment cutoff: Aug. 31, 2027, by appointment only. No public event.
The clinics are designed to remove life obstacles that arise because someone has a record. “The purpose of the Clean Slate Clinic,” the release said, “is to remove a barrier to employment and housing for people who have paid their debt to society and remained law-abiding.
“A criminal record, no matter how old or how minor, can stand in the way of a job, an apartment, or an education, because most employers, property managers, and universities use background checks to screen applicants. Steady work and stable housing are among the strongest protections against a return to crime.”
The first clinic was held in March 2023 and some 550 people have been served and 1,856 petitions have been field with the courts.
“Of the 1,746 petitions decided to date, the court has granted 1,740 and denied six. The remaining 110 petitions are pending.”
The news release credits their screening work for the high percentage of granted expungement petitions.
“That high grant rate reflects careful screening before petitions reach the court, not a rubber stamp.”
Deputy District Attorneys do the screening of applications and have thus far approved 1,480 (out of 1,500 total) and rejected 220.
There are various reasons people get denied. “Common reasons for objecting included new criminal conduct after the conviction, probation violations, too little time living crime-free, a person still on probation or facing new charges, or a serious offense that harmed a victim.
Some petitions were withdrawn by the petitioner and never went to the court. With some, the court heard the D.A.’s objection and using its discretion, denied the petitions.
SLO County D.A. Dan Dow said, “Protecting victims and keeping our community safe have always been at the heart of my work as District Attorney, and the Clean Slate Clinic serves both. Every petition is carefully reviewed by Probation and by my office before it goes to the court.”
He added that people who get their slate wiped clean, “can finally get a steady job and a stable home, they are far less likely to return to the criminal and victim justice system, and that means fewer future victims. Moving to a quarterly schedule means people who qualify no longer have to wait months for that fresh start.”
If you are interested in clearing a criminal record at no cost, contact the SLO Clean Slate Clinic before the applicable quarterly enrollment cutoff at (805) 902-CRLA or online at: reentry@crla.org.
Enrollment for the winter, summer, and fall clinics is by appointment only. Walk-ins are welcome at the March 26, public clinic event, but appointments are strongly preferred.
