Criminal Expunction Project
Legal Information & Assistance for Clearing Criminal Records
Elon University School of Law partnered with Legal Aid of North Carolina and others in the legal profession to host its first ever Criminal Expunction Project for residents in Guilford and Durham counties who qualify for services. Expunction is the legal process for removing a criminal conviction or dismissed charge from a person’s record. It is, in essence, a fresh start.
Elon Law students Matt Marino and Constantina “Nina” Palamaris from the Class of 2023 worked under the supervision of Professor Catherine Ross Dunham to organize the program for October 14, 2023. There was no charge for services.
Our intent is to host another Criminal Expunction Project in Fall 2024. Details and signup forms will be shared on this page as they are finalized.
About the 2023 Student Organizers
Matthew M. Marino is originally from Long Island, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of South Carolina. At Elon, Marino is president of the Criminal Law society and co-president of the First-Generation Society.
Marino plans to pursue a career in civil litigation or criminal law. His goal is to be a prominent father figure in his future family, something he did not have growing up. An avid sports fan, Marino played soccer, baseball, and basketball in his youth.
Constantina “Nina” Palamaris is a Dean’s Scholar at Elon Law. She attended American University to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Justice and Law. Palamaris is an Elon Law peer mentor and serves on the program’s community development committee. She also serves as president of the Women’s Law Association and is an active pro bono participant.
As president of the Women’s Law Association, Palamaris has worked with Elon Law Professor Catherine Ross Dunham to focus the organization on service efforts. She plans to seek a clerkship upon graduation and intends to eventually join legal academia as a law professor. In her free time, Palamaris enjoys reading, cooking, spending time with friends and her beloved orange cat, Gordon.