The Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk’s Office just completed a community event to help people remove resolved misdemeanor offenses from their records.

The Cleveland Municipal Court Clerk’s Office just completed a community event to help people remove resolved misdemeanor offenses from their records.

A court program in northeast Ohio is making it easier for people to resolve their legal issues by bringing the experts and problem solvers into the communities they serve.

“In the Neighborhood” is an outreach program through the Cleveland Municipal Clerk of Courts that helps people with outstanding traffic violations, warrants, and criminal records for cases that have been dismissed. The initiative provides access to legal resources in community gathering places like recreation centers and churches.

“A lot of people don’t understand the justice system or are intimidated by it,” said Earle Turner, the clerk of courts. “It’s a way of removing that barrier we think is there for a lot of people.”

Last Thursday, the clerk’s office teamed up with municipal court judges for a record sealing clinic. People with non-violent misdemeanors were able to apply to have them removed from their record. Clearing an offense can remove obstacles to getting a job or renting a home. It can improve a person’s life.

“I have relatives, friends, church members who have issues with the law, and don’t deal with them because they’re afraid they’ll end up in jail,” said Obie Shelton, the clerk’s public information officer. “Opportunities like this give many of them a plan on how to take care of those problems and how the justice system can help.”

Several community groups and organizations partner with “In the Neighborhood” to provide a one-stop shop for a wide range of assistance. Public agencies, such as the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Cuyahoga County Public Defender, work together with social service providers to address issues regarding family, housing, education, and employment. The clerk’s office also has partnerships with 13 courts in the Cleveland suburbs to consolidate caseloads for people with legal problems in multiple jurisdictions.

The overall goal is to simplify what can be an overwhelming and stressful situation for those involved in the legal system.

“What’s most encouraging to us is seeing people who arrive hopeless and leave with hope,” said Shelton.