LSC CORI Sealing Initiative
For the one in three adults that have a criminal record, ordinary essentials such as finding a well-paying job, renting safe and affordable housing, getting a student loan, or purchasing a decent car can be all but impossible to obtain.
With the 2018 Criminal Justice Reform Act accelerating and expanding sealing availability, the demand for Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) sealing in Massachusetts has increased, but existing legal resources are insufficient to meet demand.
Due to its convenient location next to the Stony Brook T Station, and its specialized projects serving domestic violence survivors, low-income students, the veteran community, and others, the Legal Services Center is uniquely positioned to leverage our existing resources to expand access to CORI Sealing and to respond directly to requests for this service from clients and community partners through our CORI Sealing Workshops.
About CORI Sealing Workshops
Through LSC’s CORI workshops, clients can receive free assistance in sealing their criminal records. Workshops will be held every third Tuesday of the month from 4-6pm through November 2019.
Eligibility Criteria
Anyone in need of CORI sealing assistance is welcome to participate if:
- It has been 3 years since the last misdemeanor conviction; OR
- 7 years since the last felony conviction.
While there is not a fee to attend the CORI Sealing Workshop, you must bring a $25 check to access your CORI. If you receive food stamps, cash assistance, MassHealth, or another form of assistance from another public benefit program, you are eligible to waive the $25 fee.
How to Participate
1) Call the Safety Net Project intake line at 617-390-2524 or email safetynetproject@law.harvard.edu. After speaking with you, we can provide the forms you will need in order to go through the record-sealing process.
2) If you would like to start the process of sealing your record yourself, below is a list of documents and information that can help.
- Request to seal your criminal record – Mass.gov guidance
- Personal CORI request
- Petition to seal adult record
- Affidavit of indigency to get fee waived
- MassLegalHelp Information on record sealing
Resources
New! A How-To Video on Sealing your CORI