Shore Legal Access

Every year, thousands of Marylanders work hard to rebuild their lives after making mistakes in their past. They earn degrees, complete training programs, secure childcare, and apply for jobs—only to be denied housing or employment because of an old criminal record that the law already says should be eligible for expungement.

Maryland has the tools to fix this. House Bill 360/SB483, the Maryland Clean Slate Act, would modernize our outdated system and remove unnecessary barriers for people who have already paid their debt to society. Shore Legal Access respectfully urges lawmakers to support this critical reform.

A System That Doesn’t Work

Under current law, many misdemeanor convictions and other eligible charges can be expunged by filing a petition after a waiting period. In theory, the process is straightforward. In reality, it is anything but.

Maryland relies on a petition-based system that requires individuals to file complex paperwork with the court. Forms are confusing. Minor technical errors can result in rejection. Many people don’t even realize they are eligible. As a result, only 2% of those eligible for expungement actually file petitions.

That means hundreds of thousands of Marylanders remain locked out of opportunity—not because they are ineligible for relief, but because the system is too difficult to navigate.

The Maryland Clean Slate Act of 2026 would change that. The bill creates an automated process to shield eligible records from public view after the required waiting period. By modernizing the system, Maryland can align its processes with its values.

Shore Legal Access (SLA) connects people on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with limited financial means to legal representation and essential community resources. Each year, we help more than 3,000 people access the legal system when they would otherwise be shut out.

Our small legal team and network of volunteer attorneys provide free legal services for eviction prevention, criminal record expungement, life and estate planning, family law, foreclosure, and consumer debt. These services help families achieve financial stability, maintain housing, and regain hope and control over their futures.

SLA serves eight counties—Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester—and we have helped hundreds of Eastern Shore residents clear their records. But we have only scratched the surface.

Right now, 407,000 Marylanders have records that could be shielded from public view. That represents hundreds of thousands of people who could be working, earning more, securing stable housing, and contributing more fully to their communities.

The people who seek expungement services from Shore Legal Access are resilient and determined. Many are underemployed. Many invested deeply in education and training, only to be denied work because of a past record from years ago.

One recent client experienced homelessness after repeatedly being denied housing. When he was finally able to expunge old records from a life he had long left behind, he described the experience as transformative—a moment of hope and relief. Today, he works in a nursing home, providing essential care to older adults in his community.

His story is not unique. He represents thousands of Marylanders who have already turned their lives around but remain underutilized because of bureaucratic barriers and an out of date system.

An automated system would not only benefit individuals—it would also allow legal service organizations like ours to focus on more complex cases. Currently, our attorneys must conduct detailed research, prepare documents, and file expungement petitions on behalf of eligible clients. Automating this process would reduce the volume of straightforward cases we handle, freeing our limited staff to devote time to eviction prevention, family law matters, and other urgent legal needs. In short, HB360/SB483 would make government more efficient while expanding opportunity.

Fourteen states and Washington, D.C., have already adopted automated record-shielding systems. Maryland should be leading the way in criminal justice reform, but instead we are hampered by antiquated technology and overreliance on an ineffective petition-based system. We are grateful for the groundbreaking reforms this legislature has passed in recent years. Now it’s time for our systems to catch up with our values.

The Maryland Clean Slate Act is about fairness, efficiency, and opportunity. It is about ensuring that people who have done the hard work of rebuilding their lives are not permanently punished by paperwork.

Maryland can reduce barriers to housing and employment. We can strengthen our workforce. We can help families achieve stability. And we can do it in a way that saves resources and modernizes our courts.

It’s time to give Marylanders a clean slate.