LSC CORI Sealing Initiative
For the one in three adults that have a criminal record, ordinary essentials such as finding a well-paying job, renting safe and affordable housing, getting a student loan, or purchasing a decent car can be all but impossible to obtain.
With the 2018 Criminal Justice Reform Act and subsequent changes to the law accelerating and expanding sealing availability, the demand for Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) sealing in Massachusetts has increased.
Due to its convenient location next to the Stony Brook T Station, and its specialized projects serving domestic violence survivors, low-income students, the veteran community, and others, the Legal Services Center is uniquely positioned to leverage our existing resources to expand access to CORI Sealing and to respond directly to requests for this service from clients and community partners through our CORI Sealing services.
Our staff also provide assistance in navigating denials of Safety Net programs such as SNAP/FoodStamps and Social Security Disability – check here for help with these kinds of problems.
About CORI Sealing
Through LSC’s CORI Initiative, clients can receive free assistance in sealing their criminal records. In addition, there is information available here about starting the process yourself, and about additional resources and partnerships.
There are two kinds of CORI sealing: administrative sealing and judicial sealing. Administrative sealing requires filling out and mailing the necessary forms. Judicial sealing requires submitting a petition to seal and attending a hearing. While it is possible to complete both processes on your own, judicial sealing is often more successful with legal representation. The self-help resources listed below are primarily for administrative sealing.
Sealing Eligibility Criteria
You can seal your CORI if:
- It has been 3 years since the last misdemeanor charge; OR
- 7 years since the last felony charge.
The 3 and 7 year clock starts running after the last court decision or release from prison, whichever is later.
We do not charge any fee for sealing or expungement help, however, there is a $25 fee to access your CORI. If you receive food stamps, cash assistance, MassHealth, or another form of assistance from another public benefit program, you are eligible to waive the $25 fee.
About CORI Expungement
Expungement destroys or erases charges from your record. This means that expunged charges cannot be accessed by any agency or court. Even high-level government entities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) cannot see an expunged record.
Expungement Eligibility Criteria
You can expunge your CORI if you meet various criteria set by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There are two types of expungement you may qualify for:
- Time-based Expungement
- Non-time-based Expungement
How to Get Assistance with Sealing/Expunging Your Record
Your Options: Call the Safety Net Project intake line at 617-390-2524 or email [email protected]. After speaking with you, we can provide the forms you will need in order to go through the record-sealing process and determine if we can provide you with representation.
If you would like to start the process of sealing your record yourself, below is a list of documents and information that can help.
- Request to seal your criminal record – Mass.gov guidance
- Personal CORI request
- Petition to seal adult record
- Affidavit of indigency to get fee waived
- MassLegalHelp Information on record sealing
Resources