Relief in the Making: The Policy, Implementation, and Impact of Rights Restoration Laws
The Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law will host a symposium titled "Relief in the Making: The Policy, Implementation, and Impact of Rights Restoration Laws" on April 11-12, 2024 in Drinko Hall at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The symposium aims to examine and assess, from a variety of perspectives and with the help of a variety of voices, recent legal and policy developments regarding collateral consequences, record relief efforts, and broader concerns of justice and fairness for individuals and communities with criminal justice system involvement.
Background
For years, advocates spoke about the “invisible punishment” flowing from the legal restrictions and societal stigmas that burden people with any criminal record long after involvement with the justice system. But the many concerns surrounding so-called “collateral consequences” have become more visible in legal and policy circles in recent years. Over the past decade, dozens of states have enacted laws seeking to reduce the barriers people with a criminal record face in the workplace, in housing, at the ballot box, and many other areas.
These developments have been characterized by the Collateral Consequences Resource Center as “a full-fledged law reform movement aimed at restoring rights and dignity to individuals who have successfully navigated the criminal law system.” But the import and impact of this modern reform movement remains unclear, in part because record relief laws and practices differ widely across jurisdictions. Some states have made only modest reforms to their record sealing laws, while other states have enacted ambitious automatic record relief systems. And the practical impact of record relief reforms vary dramatically depending on not just the reach of the laws, but also the resources that are devoted to implementing these laws. Intriguingly, as record relief efforts have spread at the state level, federal record relief continues to languish.
Registration and CLE Credit
Registration is free and open now. An application for Continuing Legal Education has been approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio. Ohio attorneys who attend full sessions for which CLE credit was approved will be provided credit for their attendance and participation. While we are happy to provide a Certificate of Completion to attorneys who seek CLE credit in other jurisdictions, we will not be making applications for CLE credit in any jurisdictions outside of Ohio.
Program
THURSDAY, April 11, 2024
1 – 1:30 p.m.
Registration
1:30 – 3 p.m.
Paper Workshop 1
3 – 4:30 p.m.
Paper Workshop 2
1:30 – 3 p.m.
Collateral Consequences and Record Sealing in Ohio (1 Hour of CLE Credit Approved)
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Break
5:30 – 6 p.m.
Welcome Reception
6 – 7:30 p.m.
Dinner and Panel Discussion: Collateral Consequences in Law School Pedagogy
FRIDAY, April 12, 2024
8 – 8:30 a.m.
Light Breakfast and Registration
8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Panel 1: Theories and Deep Thoughts about Collateral Consequences and Record Relief in the Criminal Justice System (1 Hour of CLE Credit Approved)
9:45 – 11 a.m.
Panel 2: The Players and the Politics of Record Relief: The Role of and Impact on Judges, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, and Other Service Providers (1 Hour of CLE Credit Approved)
11 – 11:15 a.m.
Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Panel 3: Reviewing/Rethinking Relief Restrictions and Uptake Realities and Challenges (1 Hour of CLE Credit Approved)
12:45 – 1:30 p.m.
Break and Lunch
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Panel 4: Expungement Derailed by Data: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly About Records and Modern Technologies (1 Hour of CLE Credit Approved)