At the Waiʻanae Public Library this past Saturday, a free legal clinic helped attendees clear minor criminal records and recall bench warrants. According to Hawaii News Now, the state Public Defender’s Office, with support from the Judiciary, provided volunteer attorneys and a judge to assist individuals in removing eligible arrests from their records and rescinding bench warrants, mainly for missed court dates related to traffic issues and minor offenses.
Edward Aquino, state Deputy Public Defender, said, “It allows for for them to apply, and then when the potential employer is seeking a background check, they don’t have to explain that pretty much, because it was something that shouldn’t have been there in the first place, or shouldn’t be there at all at this point.” Aquino also noted that the clinic directly addresses the anxiety experienced by those with outstanding bench warrants, who live in fear of arrest at any moment, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
Together with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii, the clinic extended its services to a range of cases, including marijuana possession under 3 grams and arrests not resulting in conviction. "If their record is expungable, we would like to help them apply for an expungement through an application and then if they're granted a certificate of expungement, then we could apply for the records to be sealed in court," Aquino explained to Hawaii Public Radio.
For those looking to leave their past legal missteps behind, Aquino assures that attending the clinic can be the first step toward a new chapter. Even individuals uncertain of their eligibility were encouraged to seek assistance. The clinic's operations, which ran from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., also aimed to mitigate the district courts' backlog of outstanding bench warrants. Walk-ins were welcome, and online reservations were available.
