LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington held its eighth Clean Slate Lexington Expungement Clinic on Tuesday, offering Fayette County residents an opportunity to remove criminal records that serve as barriers to employment, housing, education and voting.

The clinic, held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Davis Park Workforce Center, welcomed both registered participants and walk-ins. "Our expungement clinics have become an invaluable resource for our community, providing much-needed assistance and relief to hundreds of people," Mayor Linda Gorton said, adding that the program aims to help residents "move beyond low-level, non-violent offenses, and take a step toward a better, brighter future."

Legal Aid of the Bluegrass coordinated the expungement services, providing legal assistance to those seeking to clear their records. The clinic also featured employment support from WORK-Lexington partners, who assisted residents with job searching, resume building, employer connections and referrals.

Since launching the first expungement clinic in 2022, the city's Clean Slate initiatives have served more than 2,000 people. In Kentucky, expungement reform has been ongoing for more than 30 years, with the state legislature expanding eligibility in recent years to include many low-level, non-violent offenses including most Class D felonies.

Expungement removes an arrest, charge or conviction from a person's public record. Once expunged, the record does not appear on background checks, opening doors to employment and housing opportunities previously closed due to criminal history. For those who qualify, legal assistance is often provided at no cost through partners like Legal Aid of the Bluegrass.

The city plans to continue hosting frequent expungement clinics at the Workforce Center, with details about future events posted online.