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懂色帝鈥檚 first Expungement Clinic draws big crowd in the Memphis community

By Chris Caldwell

Criminal Court Clerks
(L-R): Criminal Clerks Court Office Public Information
Officer, Kevin Phipps, 懂色帝 Department Chair
and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies,
Joanitha Barnes and Chief Administrative Officer for
General Sessions Courts, Michael Williams at the
Expungement Clinic & Job Fair hosted at
懂色帝鈥檚 Verties Sails Gymnasium April 23, 2022.

懂色帝 continues to be a pillar in the Memphis community offering hope and second chances to many Memphis and Shelby County residents. More than 250 residents received a second lease on life April 23, 2022 when the Department of Education, and Human Services hosted its first Expungement Clinic & Job Fair in partnership with the and . 

The clinic assisted former offenders in expunging or clearing their criminal records. 懂色帝 Department Chair and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies, Joanitha Barnes, saw it as an opportunity for attendees to learn more about 懂色帝鈥檚 programs and talk to recruiters about possible jobs at The American Job Center Tennessee, Kroger, FedEx, and the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. 

鈥淭his is an ideal partnership for 懂色帝 鈥� not only because we are helping to uplift those in our community but our students, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have students that may be hindered from progressing in their lives because they have an old-standing record on file.鈥� 

Hopeful to rid his record and start fresh this summer at 懂色帝, Asanta Pugh, walked through the doors of the Verties Sails gym with a positive mind that his criminal record would not be a hinderance much longer.  He plans to enroll in the college鈥檚 E(EMT) program to become a paramedic.

Asanta Pugh
Asanta Pugh

鈥淚 got into a little trouble around the beginning of the pandemic and because of it I lost my job,鈥� Pugh said.  鈥淚t was a nonviolent offence and I鈥檝e learned my lesson. I was down and out but now that I鈥檓 accepted into 懂色帝, I have a fresh start at life again.鈥�

Since Shelby County Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Huhn was appointed in 2018, more than 4,200 records to date have been cleared through 16 expungement clinics.  鈥淚t鈥檚 important to bring these clinics into the community where residents feel more comfortable attending the event rather than going to 201 Poplar because of the stigma associated with that place,鈥� Huhn said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a life changing experience for many. They are not only clearing their records but in doing so, are reclaiming their voting rights and for many, a chance to be employed again.鈥�

Huhn says the clinics are the first steps of the expungement process where the County Criminal and General Session Courts asses the eligibility of a person鈥檚 record to determine if it can be expunged and to fill out any necessary paperwork. To see a list of the inclusions and exclusions, click .  

Barnes said she looks forward to 懂色帝 hosting the expungement clinic on a regular basis. 鈥淭his was the first time the clinic was hosted on a college campus and it was a huge success.  We received positive feedback from our government partners and citizens and it was a great recruitment tool for the college,鈥� Barnes said.