From Addiction to Advocacy: Heather Chase’s Journey to Criminal Record Expungement

Overcoming Addiction and Building a New Life

In the early 2000s, Heather Chase struggled with methamphetamine addiction during her late teens and early twenties. To support her habit, she resorted to illegal activities such as forging checks and breaking into vehicles, which resulted in multiple arrests and a year-long incarceration. Her turning point came in 2004 when she completed a court-mandated recovery program in Salt Lake City, leading her to sobriety.

Determined to rebuild her life, Chase pursued higher education, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2014 and a master’s degree the following year. Today, she serves as the executive director of the Haven, the nonprofit recovery center where she once sought help. With 18 years of leadership experience at the organization, she humbly remarks, “It sounds like a CEO title, but it’s not quite as glamorous.”

The Lingering Impact of a Criminal Record

Although Chase’s last offense was in 2002, the shadow of her criminal record haunted her for over two decades, creating barriers in everyday life. She recalls spending $30 on rental application fees repeatedly denied by landlords-a significant expense when earning minimal income due to her background. Even after becoming the Haven’s executive director in 2015, state regulations once prohibited her from being alone with clients because of her past convictions.

In 2023, Chase finally embarked on the legal journey to expunge her record. Expungement laws vary by state but generally allow individuals who have remained crime-free for a designated period to clear certain offenses from their records.

Streamlining Expungement with Technology

Chase utilized an innovative online platform developed by Rasa Legal, operating in Utah and Arizona, to facilitate her expungement process. Rasa leverages generative AI and automation to simplify and accelerate what is traditionally a complex and time-consuming procedure. Noella Sudbury, Rasa’s founder and CEO, explains, “We automate all tasks that don’t require creativity or judgment. Expungement paperwork accounts for about 90% of the effort.”

Before discovering Rasa, Chase attempted to navigate the process independently but found it overwhelming, especially since it involved physically traveling between jurisdictions to obtain records.

Challenges in Accessing Judicial Records

One major hurdle in expungement is that court records are organized by case rather than by individual, making it difficult for people to compile a comprehensive view of their legal history. Sudbury notes, “This system complicates the retrieval of all cases in one place.” For eligibility verification, states require access to these records.

Chase shares, “I couldn’t dedicate a year to traveling across counties, some over an hour away, to gather documents. Revisiting those memories was emotionally taxing.” Rasa’s platform overcomes this by partnering with state and county courts to aggregate records into a centralized database.

Users pay a nominal fee-$15 or $5 if they provide demographic data-to check their records and eligibility. For a flat $250, Rasa offers full legal assistance throughout the expungement process, a fraction of the cost compared to traditional legal fees that can reach tens of thousands of dollars.

AI’s Role in Making Legal Relief Affordable

Generative AI plays a pivotal role in drafting the petition for expungement, a personalized statement explaining the applicant’s reasons for seeking record clearance, such as employment opportunities or volunteering at a child’s school. After completing a questionnaire, the AI generates an initial draft, which is then reviewed and refined by one of Rasa’s three attorneys before submission.

Sudbury emphasizes, “We don’t submit AI drafts directly to the court. Human oversight saves us significant time and ensures accuracy.” Since its launch in September 2022, Rasa has served 22,000 users, helping 5,000 successfully expunge their records.

For context, Sudbury’s free legal clinics in the 2010s assisted approximately 400 people annually with record clearance. Chase’s recovery center now offers Rasa’s services as an employee benefit, reflecting the growing demand for accessible expungement solutions.

Expanding Legal Relief Amid Changing Legislation

Recent years have seen a surge in legal reforms aimed at broadening expungement eligibility. Over 30 states have reclassified nonviolent drug and property offenses, easing the path to record clearance. For example, California’s 2017 Proposition 64 legalized recreational marijuana and enabled individuals with prior marijuana convictions to reduce or expunge their records.

Despite these advances, the expungement process remains slow and cumbersome. A 2020 study revealed that fewer than 10% of eligible individuals pursue legal relief, leaving an estimated 20 to 30 million Americans trapped in what is termed the “second chances” gap.

Colleen Chien, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-author of the study, refers to this phenomenon as “America’s paper jails.” She advocates for AI-driven tools to assist with expungement and has piloted a ChatGPT-based chatbot that helps users determine their eligibility, highlighting the technology’s ability to provide multilingual support.

The Transformative Power of Expungement

Clearing a criminal record offers more than just legal relief-it provides a renewed sense of freedom and opportunity. Chase reflects, “Having your record expunged feels incredible. It’s proof that you’ve fulfilled your obligations to society-served your time, paid fines, completed probation-and now it’s behind you.”

Expungement also simplifies practical matters like job hunting and securing housing. Once a record is sealed or expunged, individuals are no longer required to disclose it on applications. Additionally, background check companies must remove these records under the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, significantly improving chances of passing screenings.

Sudbury confirms, “Sealing or expungement is highly effective in helping people clear background checks.”

Balancing AI Innovation with Ethical Legal Practice

Rasa exemplifies how legal professionals can responsibly integrate AI into their workflows, ensuring human review remains central. Sudbury describes generative AI as “toddler software” that requires careful supervision, stating, “I would never let AI operate independently.”

This cautious approach contrasts with recent incidents where attorneys faced sanctions for citing fabricated court cases generated by AI. Rasa also employs AI models designed to safeguard client privacy.

However, experts like Chien caution that technology alone cannot resolve systemic issues. While AI reduces procedural barriers, it does not address the underlying power imbalances within the justice system. She warns, “There’s a risk of complacency if we rely solely on existing frameworks without pushing for deeper reform.”