Free Legal Help: Fort Wayne Expungement Event
FORT WAYNE, IN – A free educational event is being offered in Fort Wayne next month to help residents understand Indiana’s “Second Chance” expungement law and clear qualifying criminal records.
The presentation will be held on Tuesday, November 4th, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Ivy Tech Community College (North Campus, Student Life Center building, room SL121). Registration for the event begins at 5:30 p.m.
The event is a joint effort through the Second Chance Initiative, a partnership between the Volunteer Center, the Volunteer Lawyer Program, and Indiana Legal Services (ILS).
Education is the Essential First Step
The presentation is led by Expungement Attorney Heidi Fowler, who also serves on the board of the Volunteer Center. Fowler explains the event is the essential first step for anyone seeking to utilize the program.
“My educational event is really the first step in the process,” Fowler said. “You have to attend my educational event to get a packet.”
The presentation explains “what Indiana’s second chance expungement law is, and some things about who qualifies,” Fowler noted. She clarified that her program covers only a portion of the law, but directs those who fall outside their scope to other available options.
After the session, participants complete the packet and send it to the Volunteer Center, where an attorney from Indiana Legal Services reviews the criminal record to determine eligibility for the next step: being assigned a volunteer attorney.
Program Targets Wide Range of Offenses
Attorney Fowler confirms that most attendees are seeking to clarify the expungement process, often having heard about it through friends or colleagues who have successfully cleared their records.
The types of records people seek to expunge “really runs the gamut,” Fowler explained. “We get things from very low level misdemeanors… all the way up to very old, long term sentence felony offenses.”
While the Fort Wayne program primarily covers northeastern Indiana, including Allen County and the surrounding counties, Fowler said they provide general information about the law and can refer individuals from other parts of the state to resources closer to where their offense occurred.
“What I like to tell people is, if you are unsure, come to the event,” Fowler stressed. “It’s the gatekeep to the rest of the program.”
Ani Etter, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center, emphasized the necessity of the initiative, stating, “A criminal record is one of the largest obstacles to better housing, employment, and education. The Second Chance Initiative provides an option for low to moderate income individuals to have a chance at a better future.”
To get more information or to register, visit volunteerfortwayne.org and click the “Get Help” button.
