General:
A: The eligibility screening tool is a quick way to get a complete picture of most Utah, Pennsylvania and Arizona criminal records that might be out there. It provides you with a comprehensive report showing your cases and what your record clearance options are. We believe in providing you with all the available information we can.
A: No. If you have cases that are eligible for some type of record clearance, you will have the option to hire Rasa as your lawyer to help you clear your records. We provide low-cost, simple, and transparent pricing. However, there is no obligation to hire Rasa, and you can also take your results elsewhere and do whatever you like with them. We believe in putting you in control of your records.
A: Unlike traditional law firms that typically charge somewhere between $1,500 to $3,000 per record, Rasa offers low-cost, clear pricing for all of our services. We are able to make legal services much more affordable because our sophisticated software streamlines many of the manual steps associated with the record clearance process.
A: In some cases, the records we receive from the courts might be missing some key information to confirm your eligibility fully, such as probation end dates, close dates, legal financial obligations or sentencing information. In an expert review, one of our specialists will thoroughly research your records and fill in any missing information. Once all the information has been verified, our lawyer will confirm your eligibility and give guidance on the best legal strategy for your situation.
A: Rasa is a mission-driven social impact company started by a lawyer and one of the leaders of the national clean slate movement. Record clearance is our specialty. We are committed to transforming legal services to make them affordable and accessible to all who need them. We are also community advocates who fight for better record clearance laws for all. We have developed custom software to simplify the legal sealing, set-aside, and expungement process, and make it affordable for people to access a second chance.
A: Rasa is currently offering record-clearing services in Utah, Pennsylvania and Arizona. We hope to enter more states soon. In the meantime, we are supporting legislative efforts to expand record clearance and enact better record clearance laws across the United States.
A: We specialize in helping people determine their eligibility for record clearance and providing low-cost criminal record sealing, set aside, expungement, and rights restoration services to people who need to go through a court-based process to get relief. The people who are best suited for our services include people who:
- Don’t currently have any open cases in the justice system.
- Aren’t currently on probation or parole.
- Have been out of the justice system or off paper for at least 2 years.
- Who don’t have any registerable offenses
To find out if Rasa’s service is right for you, we have an easy-to-use eligibility tool that can check all your records for free in under 3 minutes. Our tool will give you a detailed report of all of your cases and predict whether they might be eligible for record clearance now or in the future.
To find out if Rasa’s service is right for you, we have an easy-to-use eligibility tool that can check all your records in under 3 minutes. Our tool will give you a detailed report of all of your cases and predict whether they might be eligible for record clearance now or in the future. See our eligibility tool here.
Utah:
A: It can be easy to get our organizations mixed up, but there are some important differences between our organizations. Whichever organization best meets your needs, both are here for you and dedicated to helping Utahns clear their criminal records and access new opportunities.
Clean Slate Utah provides resources and support for individuals who are representing themselves in the expungement process through workshops, events, and educational materials. They DO NOT offer legal advice, legal services, or provide any kind of legal representation.
Rasa Legal is a public benefit legal tech company that specializes in providing low-cost legal services to individuals with criminal records. Rasa’s team includes lawyers and software engineers who have built software to streamline many of the aspects of the expungement process. When you hire Rasa to represent you, the Rasa legal team handles your expungement from start to finish in the same way a traditional lawyer would, but for a much lower price.
For more information of the differences between Rasa and Clean Slate Utah click here.
A: 402 Reduction is a process where a motion can be made to the court to reduce the severity of a criminal record by one or two degrees. Court approval is required for a one-step reduction and court and prosecutor approval are required to obtain a two-step reduction. If the motion is approved, the reduced records may become eligible for expungement. Rasa can serve as your lawyer for a 402 Reduction to get you out of felony status or on the path towards expungement.
If a person has too many records to be eligible for expungement, it may be an option to obtain a pardon from the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. The board has 5 members who are appointed by the Governor. While this is not a hard and fast rule, the Board of Pardons typically wants to see a person out of the justice system and crime free for at least 5 years before they apply for a pardon. In order to be able to apply for a pardon, a person must apply for expungement and receive a denial letter from BCI. Rasa does not currently offer assistance with the pardon process. However, we’ve included some helpful links below that may help you get started:
A: The expungement process usually takes 6-8 months to complete. The majority of this time is waiting for BCI to process the expungement application. On their website, BCI shows the current date of applications that they are processing, which can help a person estimate how long the process will take. To see the current processing date, click here.
A: BCI can take several months to process an expungement application. This happens in a queue system where applications are processed in the order they are received. So, the sooner people’s applications are submitted, the sooner they will be processed. On their website, BCI posts the date of application they are currently processing. To check the current date of applications they are processing, click here.
A: Individuals who would like to verify what records have been expunged in Utah may submit a form to verify records expungement. In contrast, an application for Utah Criminal History Report will show an individual all the records they have in the state of Utah.
A: Rasa’s mission is to make expungement easy and affordable for as many people as possible. We use modern technology to make the process both faster and cheaper than using a traditional law firm, without compromising quality. To hire a traditional law firm to handle your expungement, you will likely pay between $1,500 and $3,000 before government fees. In contrast, Rasa has a simple, transparent, flat fee pricing of $500 per case (including government fees).
A: Rasa is focused on making expungement as affordable and accessible as possible. We offer free eligibility screenings, expert record reviews, legal representation for expungements, and legal services to obtain a 402 reduction. We also partner with businesses and organizations to cover the costs for their employees to obtain expungement.
A: Utah’s Clean Slate Law, also know as HB431, and Utah’s Automatic Clearance law, passed in March 2019, and created automatic record clearance for certain misdemeanor records. The law went into effect on February 10, 2022 but the process of identifying and clearing eligible records is ongoing. It is also important to note that not all expungeable records are eligible for automatic clearance and will still require the petition-based process to be cleared. For more information about the Clean Slate Law click here.
By using Rasa’s eligibility screening tool, you can quickly find out which records are eligible for automatic clearance, which records must be cleared through the court or petition-based process, which records may become eligible for expungement in the future, and which records are not eligible for expungement at all.
A: uvenile record expungement is a completely different process from expunging an adult record. At this time, Rasa doesn’t provide services for juvenile record expungement. More information on how to expunge a juvenile record can be found here. You can also contact Utah Juvenile Defenders for more information.
A: Yes! DUIs are one of the most common record types in our Utah database. However, it is important to note that DUI records are only eligible for expungement after ten years and that only misdemeanor DUIs are eligible for expungement. If you have a felony DUI record, it will be eligible for expungement only if you successfully get it reduced to a misdemeanor DUI. To find out if your records are eligible for expungement, use our simple eligibility tool here.
Arizona:
A: No, Arizona does not have a Clean Slate Law to automatically expunge records. However, several new laws were recently passed to create a pathway to expungement, sealing, and other record clearance options.
A: The process of clearing a record can take several months. After a petition has been filed, the prosecutor and court are given time to review, contact any victims, and respond. This can take several months, so it is good to get started as soon as possible.
A: Currently, marijuana-related offenses are the only type of records that are eligible for expungement in Arizona. Eligibility for expungement is governed by ARS 36-2862, and currently applies to the following types of records:
- Possession, consumption, or transportation of 2.5 ounces (70 grams) or less of marijuana, with no more than 12.5 grams in the form of marijuana concentrate;
- Possession, transportation, or cultivation of six marijuana plants or less, which must be at the individual’s primary residence for personal use (not for sale).
- Possession, use, or transportation of paraphernalia relating to the cultivation, manufacture, process, or consumption of marijuana.
A: On December 31, 2022, ARS 13-911 went into effect, allowing a person to petition a court to seal certain arrest, dismissal, or criminal conviction records.
A: Arizona has several new laws to allow for record clearance of some felonies and misdemeanors. See an overview of the types of clearance here.
A: When a record is sealed, it's no longer accessible to the public and should not show up on a background check for employment or housing. You also have permission to answer “no,” when asked about your criminal record on most applications. However, even though the public can't see your record without a court order, it is still on your criminal history. Expungement removes a record from your criminal history, but is only available for marijuana offenses in Arizona.
Pennsylvania:
A: Rasa offers sealing services in Pennsylvania, and we will soon offer expungement services as well. We are focused on making sealing as affordable and accessible as possible. We offer free eligibility screenings, expert record reviews, can serve as your lawyer for sealing or expungement. We also partner with businesses and organizations to create employee benefit programs that cover the costs for employees to seal or expunge their records.
A: Both remedies limit access to your records and give you the legal right to answer “No” when asked if you have a record. Expunging a record results in complete removal of the record from your criminal history. A sealed record cannot be accessed by the general public, and is typically not visible on background checks used by landlords or employers. Some agencies, including the court, can still see a sealed record for limited purposes. Eligibility requirements for expungement are extremely limited while the requirements for sealing are much broader. Because of this, sealing is going to be the best option for most people. You can read more about both sealing and expungement here.
A: The law in Pennsylvania requires that a person remain crime free for a set period of time before they are eligible to seal their record. The exact amount of time depends on the number and severity of the charges on your record. Both felony and misdemeanor sealing require that the record-holder be crime free for 7-10 years, depending on the severity level of the offense. We recommend using our tool, which will gather your records and analyze them to tell you when you might be eligible to seal your record. Click here to get started.
What are you waiting for?
It's time to leave the past in the past. Use our tool to quickly check if you have records that are eligible for expungement today!
Find out if you’re eligible in under 3 minutes.
