Clear an Oregon criminal record

In Oregon, "setting aside" a record seals it, so most employers, landlords, and background checks will no longer see it, and you can legally answer that you have no such record in most situations.

Many things can be set aside: most arrests that did not lead to conviction, many misdemeanors, some felonies, and certain juvenile and marijuana records. Waiting periods and eligibility depend on the charge and how long you have been conviction-free.

• Oregon Justice Resource Center works on criminal justice and record-clearing statewide and can explain what applies to your situation.

This is worth doing even if it feels far away, because a cleared record changes what jobs and housing you can get.

You do not need to pay a lawyer just to find out where you stand.

• RecordSponge Oregon is a free tool built by Oregon legal aid that analyzes your record and tells you what is eligible to be set aside, and it can help generate the paperwork. You can use it yourself, or with help.

Pull your own record first if you can (Oregon eCourt / OJIN, or a background check on yourself) so RecordSponge has the full picture. Do not let a messy or uncertain record stop you from checking. That is exactly what the tool is for.

Once you know you are eligible, free legal clinics can help you file the motion correctly.

• CLEAR Clinic holds free drop-in legal clinics across the Portland metro for expungement, fee waivers, and record clearing. Check their site for current days and locations (Friday drop-ins run at 537 SE Ash St). Bring your record if you have it.
• Oregon Justice Resource Center and local legal aid can also help with more complex cases.

Filing usually involves a fee, but you can request a fee waiver if you cannot afford it, and the clinics can help with that too.

Clearing a record is not the finish line, it is the door opening. Once a record is set aside:

• On most job and housing applications you can honestly say you have no conviction, and it should not appear on standard background checks.
• Oregon's Ban the Box law already limits when employers can ask about criminal history, and a cleared record removes the question entirely in most cases.

To turn that into a paycheck, the Find a job in Portland path includes background-friendly employers and staffing agencies. If you are recently out, the Getting back on your feet after release from prison or jail path covers the wider set of reentry supports.