Record Clearance Project

Our Mission Statement

Our mission is to promote justice by providing needed services to those who cannot afford them and by educating undergraduates to deliver those services with dignity and respect. To do this, the RCP’s legal services program informs people regarding their legal rights to a clear record and provides the legal assistance necessary for them to achieve the second chance that the law promises. The RCP's Path to Expungement program provides guidance as people leave custody to move forward with their lives. As undergraduates make a difference in the lives of others, they gain the experience and motivation to promote social justice, recognizing that with knowledge and kindness, they can change the world.

Changing lives, one petition at a time.

RCP provides undergraduate students with hands-on learning, training them to use legal skills to help eligible individuals clear their criminal records and move forward with their lives

Help Expand Access to Justice.

Our free services!

The Record Clearance Project provides the following free services: court representation to dismiss convictions, reduce felonies, and gain other record clearance remedies; individual record review interviews to outline next steps in record clearance; presentations on expungement law and employment rights of people with convictions; and assistance in getting criminal history reports ("RAP sheets").

Check out our Legal Services Brochure!

The Record Clearance Project -- Fall 2026

Record Clearance Project students come from a range of majors and backgrounds; a majority are the first in their families to go to college. They are motivated to use their education to assist others. Following graduation, they bring the understanding and experience they gain through their work with the RCP to careers in law, social services, government, law enforcement, tech, higher education and beyond.

¡Sí Se Puede! Dolores Huerta (1930–2026) continues to be an inspiration to our work.

A participant in Record Clearance Fundamentals in-custody class in Spanish said, “Gracias por no dejar en el olvido a la gente Latina y darnos más información sobre el tema de limpiar tu récord en el futuro.” (Thank you for not forgetting the Latino people and giving us more information regarding how to clear your record in the future.) A RCP Student said, “As a first generation college graduate, I never expected this opportunity as an undergraduate. This program doesn't just change and improve the lives of the clients but the students as well. It teaches us that we are capable of accomplishing more than we set out to.”

Adriana Vazquez-Chavez, a student assistant with the Record Clearance Project, holds hands before embracing Carmen Navarro, whose son was cleared of past convictions, at Family Justice Center in San Jose.

Photo Credit: Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group

RCP in the Community

The Record Clearance Project is thrilled to be featured in the Bay Area News Group's WishBook! The story features current and former students and clients as they engage in this life-changing work.