A Fresh Start: Tennessee Attorneys, Judges, Law Students and Court Administrators Work Toward Justice for All.

The article focuses on efforts by Tennessee attorneys, judges, law students, and court administrators to expand access to justice through the state's evolving expungement statute (Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-32-101) and related pro bono initiatives. It outlines Tennessee's legal framework for expunging eligible criminal convictions and dismissed charges, which has progressively broadened since 2012 to provide relief from barriers such as employment and driver's license suspensions. The article describes four main pro bono expungement models—non-conviction clinics, intake and referral services, pop-up community courts, and full-service events—that involve collaboration among legal professionals, court staff, and community organizations. Additionally, it highlights institutional innovations like specialty court dockets, automated petition processes, and law school clinics that support ongoing expungement assistance statewide.