Starting in July 2021, Alabamians carrying certain old criminal convictions can ask the courts to wipe the slate clean under the state’s new Redeemer Act — a law that advocates call overdue and some prosecutors view with caution.
A path to clear old records
The act creates a process for people convicted of certain crimes to petition for expungement, on the theory that those who have paid their debt to society shouldn’t be shut out of jobs decades later. Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich said the law builds a check into that process: district attorneys can review petitions and make a recommendation to a judge, who makes the final call.
“I think it can help in some cases — that’s why DAs can give a recommendation to a judge and it’s ultimately up to a judge to make this decision,” Rich said.
Prosecutors’ reservations
Rich flagged one provision that concerns her: third-degree domestic violence convictions, which are misdemeanors in Alabama, could qualify for expungement. Keeping those convictions on the books matters, she argued, because prior offenses can carry heavier consequences if someone reoffends.
“It’s important we have domestic violence convictions held on the books — if they commit another domestic violence offense, that conviction can be held against them,” Rich said. In her view, each petition deserves an individual look at the facts and circumstances rather than a blanket approval.
The cost of a clean slate
The process isn’t cheap. Applicants must pay a $500 fee, and most will likely need a lawyer to navigate the paperwork properly — hurdles that critics say could put relief out of reach for many of the people the law was written to help.
For people like those with decades-old misdemeanor convictions that keep resurfacing in background checks, though, the act offers something Alabama’s system previously didn’t: a formal route to a second chance.