*Record Bleach Front End

In Texas, many police officers use previous arrest records -- not convictions -- as a way of exercising their discretion over whether someone should be arrested. An arrest stays on your record, even if the charges are dropped or if you are found not guilty. The Texas Criminal Code contains a Right to Expunction.

Record Bleach is an open source project created during the Tech for Justice Hackathon, to provide Texans who qualify with a tool to generate a Petition for Expunction, along with an Order Setting Hearing, and a Proposed Order of Expunction.

The website has a tool to determine if an individual qualifies for expunction. If a user meets the criteria, they can create a temporary user account that will allow them to provide the necessary information. The user will then download/email the PDF containing the Petition, Order Setting Hearing, and Proposed Order of Expunction, along with some basic information (court addresses, filing fees, notary info, courthouse parking, etc.) When the user signs out, their user data is deleted. We will not store any identifying information for longer than 24 hours. We are going to set up a nightly cron job to compile basic usage information (# of qualifications, conversions, number of forms started vs completed, etc.)

We are not: 1) collecting information about our users; 2) establishing a lawyer/client relationship; 3) providing legal advice; 4) advising people; 5) selling any data, or otherwise profiting from this endeavor.

So why? Because winning a contest is fun. Because providing a tool for people to use is the right thing to do. Because we believe in second chances. Because that MIP from high school probably got you grounded way back then, and that was probably enough. Because we went into the software world/legal world to make a difference and this is what we love to do.

If you use this tool and clean up your record, and it was a good experience for you - let us know! And spread the word to those high school friends who were with you when you got that citation -- they could probably benefit from it too! Or, if this whole record thing is so much a part of your past, and you don't want to ever mention your arrest again (as is your right!!), share the love some other way. Smiles and kindness are free.