San Bernardino County Supervisor James Ramos (center) visited with Deputy Public Defenders Jeff Rosanswank (L) and Alan Messarra (R) at the Public Defender’s booth September 23, 2017, during Recovery Happens, a community outreach event at National Orange Show.

Lawyers from the Public Defender’s office in San Bernardino held a free law clinic Saturday, September 23, at the “14th Annual Recovery Happens 2017.”  The event at the National Orange Show was sponsored by the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health.

As part of its continuing mission to reach out to the community and increase awareness of programs that provide relief from past convictions, the Public Defender’s office has provided free expungement clinics at similar venues.  The principal objective was to assist individuals in clearing their criminal history.  Deputy Public Defenders Jeff Rosanswank and Alan Messarra provided free legal assistance on Propositions 47 and 64, which reduced to misdemeanors certain felony offenses, and post-conviction relief by way of a petition for dismissal or a certificate of rehabilitation.  They provided applicants with pamphlets, answered their questions, and took their applications for processing the appropriate relief in their particular and unique circumstance.