Being charged with a crime, even charges that are ultimately dismissed, can have effects that linger long after a case is resolved.
Iowa law permits many former defendants to have their court records expunged, sealing them where would-be employers, landlords and others won't see them. A free legal clinic organized by Clive attorney Ben Lynch, Des Moines Black Liberation Movement and Iowa Legal Aid wants to help Iowans take advantage of that law. About 10 lawyers are involved in the effort, which is accepting applications through Saturday.
"We have over 50 applicants so far, and we expect a lot more," Lynch said Wednesday. "We're making a really hard push."