On Saturday, April 8, volunteers came together for a free legal clinic at Campbell Chapel Baptist Church to help members of the public in Bolivar, Tennessee, get their criminal records expunged. Volunteer lawyers met with and prepared court forms for almost 40 clients who qualified for free expungements. Judge Boyette Denton, Hardeman County General Sessions Judge, was also on-site. Judge Denton held court at the Church so people were able to complete the expungement process in one day and with the help of a volunteer lawyer. The event was one of over 50 events in March and April as part of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s #Help4TNDay public awareness campaign.
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Roger Page, Representative Johnny Shaw, and Bishop Jessie Williams welcomed everyone and spoke of their support for the clinic and similar projects. The Church and its members opened its doors, providing advertising for the clinic, free space to meet, and lunch for everyone. Special thanks to Zulfat Suara, Bolivar resident and member of the Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance, for her help coordinating the event. Special thanks also to Hardeman County Circuit Court Clerk Linda K. Fulghum and her staff for their help leading up to the clinic.
The Hardeman County Expungement Clinic was a project of the Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance, an initiative of the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, Campbell Chapel Baptist Church, Hardeman County NAACP, Advance Business Consultants CPA, Representative Johnny Shaw, and Hardeman County General Sessions Judge Boyette Denton. For more information on the Tennessee Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission and its initiatives, go to www.JusticeForAllTN.com or email ATJInfo@tncourts.gov.
