Utah attorney uses AI to speed up criminal record expungements in three states
Noella Sudbury's startup Rasa Legal has deployed an AI-driven app that determines expungement eligibility in minutes, accelerating record clearance for thousands of people.
Former public defender Noella Sudbury grew frustrated with the lengthy, paper-heavy process of clearing criminal records, prompting her to envision a digital solution. Collaborating with developers, she launched Rasa Legal, an AI platform that evaluates a person's eligibility for expungement in roughly three minutes and cuts petition-preparation time by more than half. Since 2022, the app has facilitated the removal of records for 34,000 people across Utah, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Sudbury also helped secure Utah's Clean Slate law in 2019, which automatically seals low-level offenses and enjoys strong bipartisan backing. Studies indicate that expungement raises earnings and lowers reoffending, making the technology a tool for both social and economic improvement. While AI handles most of the paperwork, attorneys still review filings to ensure accuracy.
Why it matters
AI speeds up legal record clearing, giving people with criminal histories better chances at housing and employment.
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