Nearly 120 people received legal assistance to expunge (erase) arrest records and recall bench warrants at the Waiʻanae Public Library in September thanks to a free legal clinic put on by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law. The clinic introduced a new expungement automation tool developed by UH law school Innovator-in-Residence Matthew Stubenberg and student Ben Leider.
The event, coordinated with partners including the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary, the Office of the Public Defender, ACLU Hawaii and the Hawaii Workers Center, provided support to community members in clearing old legal issues that can create barriers to employment, housing and other opportunities.
“The chrome extension was an indispensable asset during the clinic by expediting the records research that was done by the attorneys to determine the eligibility of an applicant for expungement,” said Edward (Eddie) Aquino, deputy public defender at the State of Hawaiʻi Office of the Public Defender.
Data analysis, algorithm use
The tool analyzes the case data on eCourt Kokua and uses an algorithm to assist attorneys in determining whether a case is eligible for expungement. After each case has been analyzed the tool generates a completed expungement application, a summary of the cases determined to be eligible for expungement, and the request letters to seal court records upon approval of the expungement.
The clinic marked the soft launch of the tool, offering real-time feedback from attorneys and attendees. In total, 72 applications for expungement and 39 bench warrant recall requests were processed during the clinic.
“The expungement process in Hawaiʻi offered a great opportunity where the addition of technology could really help scale the great work done by the volunteer attorneys,” said Stubenberg. “Instead of tediously filling out paperwork the attorneys can now spend that time communicating with the client and ultimately helping more people in less time. There are still many more areas in the law where technology can help make attorneys more efficient and ultimately increase access to justice.”
Recognizing the transformation of legal practice due to advancements in technology, the UH law school has expanded its curriculum to include classes such as artificial intelligence and social justice, coding for lawyers, cybersecurity and the law and more.
“The rise of consumer AI is what really brought home for me how overdue law is for truly massive disruption, whether by AI itself or by good old-fashioned programming logic,” UH law student Ben Leider said.
