Dyer County Expungement Court to begin Friday

Special to the State Gazette

The District Attorney General and Circuit Court Clerk recently announced the creation of Dyer County Expungement Court, which is set to begin Friday, April 22, 2022. Registration starts at 10 a.m.

Citizens seeking expungement of criminal records will be able to obtain assistance at the Dyer County Expungement Court, a joint effort between District Attorney General Danny Goodman, Jr. and Circuit Court Clerk T.J. Jones. Goodman and Jones will have employees on hand to assist citizens in the preparation and filing of expungement applications. Expungement Court will take place regularly in the Dyer County Circuit Courtroom on the second floor of the Dyer County Courthouse.

Tennessee law allows for the expungement of any record pertaining to dismissed criminal charges or, in certain cases, lower-level criminal convictions.

Prior to Expungement Court, citizens had to complete the legal forms by themselves and then submit the forms to the District Attorney and the Clerk’s Office, who would review the forms separately before submitting them to a judge.

Expungement Court is designed to streamline the efforts of the clerks, prosecutors, and judges so that those citizens who are entitled to expungement orders may obtain them quickly by making one visit to the courthouse. At Expungement Court, citizens will deal directly with representatives from the DA’s Office and Clerk’s Office who will assist them with the expungement process and ensure that each application is legally sufficient before it is submitted for a judge’s signature.

“The 29th Judicial District has decided that we could serve the citizens better and more efficiently if we joined efforts and created a one-stop hub for expungement applications,” stated Goodman. “Government agencies should always look for ways to cut the red tape. We believe that we are taking a confusing and difficult process and turning it into something that will be very user-friendly for the citizens that we serve. Lake County Expungement Court is coming soon. We are proud to provide this new service.”

For questions or further assistance, contact, the District Attorney's Office (731-286-8329) or the Dyer Circuit Court Clerk (731-286-7808).