INGHAM COUNTY - In a recent press release, Ingham County announced that they would be giving away free copies of court case records for those eligible for expungement, with the help of the Clean Slate program, which was written into Michigan law over the past year.

The office of County Clerk Barb Byrum announced that 68 case copies were issued, including cases as far back as 1970, to 49 different individuals and their attorneys.

Records can now be accessed and expunged by anyone in the state who is eligible, but are normally only available for a fee. With the help of the Circuit Court and Board of Commissioners, Byrum and her office were able to have the records released for free:

“I am so thankful that the court and the Board of Commissioners supported me in offering these records free of charge to those worthy of expungement under the Clean Slate program. The cost to Ingham County is negligible, but the value to the 49 individuals, who took advantage of this waiver, is priceless,” Byrum said via a press release.

When asked further about the impact that the availability of the case records has, Byrum said “Well it’s good, because I know that these individuals that are petitioning the court now to have their record expunged are our neighbors, are our families, are our friends. They should have the right to gainful employment and good, safe housing for their families. Having your record expunged can really elevate your life.”

More information can be found on the Ingham County court website, which is linked below.