OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — The Ottawa County Public Defender Office is hosting an expungement fair at the Grand Haven Courthouse on April 29.
The expungement fair will run from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. and is for people who have a criminal conviction that they wish to have set aside.
Not all offenses are eligible to be expunged, so a pre-registration is required before attending the event.
The pre-registration form is available in both English and in Spanish. There will also be a Spanish-speaking attorney at the expungement fair.
"In Ottawa County, we understand that some residents have made mistakes in their pasts, have served their sentences, and are on roads to better lives. Criminal records can put obstacles in those paths for those residents and their families. We want to ease that burden so these residents can more easily find jobs, housing and other opportunities for better futures," said Patrick Kolehouse, Assistant Public Defender.
Criminal records will not be cleared at the event as the expungement process can take several months.
In addition to beginning the expungement process, at the clinic you can also:
- Obtain conviction records
- Be fingerprinted
- Complete the paperwork
- Schedule a court date
The Grand Haven Courthouse is located at 414 Washington Ave, Grand Haven.
The Ottawa County Public Defender Office is also seeking attorney volunteers. Contact Patrick Kolehouse (pkolehouse@miottawa.org) for more information.
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