Fresh Start Expo provides free legal help to Pima residents Saturday

The Fresh Start Expo on Saturday will provide Pima County residents with the opportunity to clear up legal issues such as warrants and unpaid fines.

The event will be held at Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona, 1940 E. Silverlake Rd., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Court staff will be available to schedule and adjudicate cases, fines can be restructured or eliminated, and warrants may be quashed or meetings may be set to cancel them.

Fresh Start International and the the Pima County Attorney’s Office are collaborating on the annual event.

“The Fresh Start Expo is one of Southern Arizona’s most important public safety events because it puts prevention into action,” said Pima County Attorney Laura Conover in a press release. “Connecting people with resources in a supportive, nonjudgmental environment can be truly restorative.”

Representative of the Pima County Justice Court and Southern Arizona Legal Aid will be available to provide services free of charge, which can include restoring voting rights and filing petitions for marijuana expungements.

Restoration and Reentry Services Arizona will offer free background checks and provide information on how to restore civil rights for those with prior felony convictions.

The expo will also provide information for attendees to find health care, employment, housing, education, addiction recovery and other resources.

Attendees can also access free food trucks, beverages, clothing and haircuts. The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona will provide free childcare so parents can use the expo’s resources, with a bouncy house and games available.

Fresh Start International works to coordinate services to help formerly incarcerated citizens, which include successful re-entry events and skill-building programs. About 400 people attended the first expo in 2019, and more than 3,000 people have used Fresh Start services since, officials said.