Michigan Expungement Without a Lawyer: How to File Pro Se

Private expungement attorneys in Michigan charge between $1,500 and $5,000 per petition. For a single non-assaultive misdemeanor that clearly meets the eligibility requirements, that fee buys expertise you may not need. Eligible applicants can file their own set-aside petitions using free SCAO forms.

What "Pro Se" Means for Expungement

Filing pro se means you represent yourself. Michigan courts allow it for set-aside petitions under MCL 780.621. You complete SCAO Form MC 227 yourself, serve copies on the Michigan State Police, Attorney General, and the original prosecutor, and appear at your own hearing.

The process is identical whether you hire a lawyer or not. The judge evaluates the same statutory criteria either way.

When Self-Filing Works

Pro se filing may fit a straightforward record: a single petition-eligible misdemeanor or felony conviction in one court, with the waiting period satisfied, no criminal charge pending when the court considers the petition, and no conviction for any criminal offense during the applicable waiting period. Restitution remains due after a set-aside, but an unpaid balance alone does not bar a petition.

Self-filing becomes risky when the prosecutor files a written objection, when multiple convictions across different counties need strategic sequencing, or when the "One Bad Night" bundling rule applies. A denial generally bars refiling the same conviction(s) for three years unless the court specifies an earlier date.

Free Legal Aid Options

Michigan has robust free resources for people who qualify:

• Michigan Legal Help (michiganlegalhelp.org) provides interactive guided forms that walk you through MC 227 field by field
• Lakeshore Legal Aid serves a geographic region and takes expungement cases for income-qualifying residents
• Legal Aid and Defender Association serves Wayne County with free representation for eligible clients
• Project Clean Slate (City of Detroit) offers free legal representation to Detroit residents — but geographic restrictions and waitlists apply

Volunteer-run expungement clinics also exist. Check current local bar-association and legal-aid listings for event dates and eligibility.

The Self-Filing Checklist

1. Run an ICHAT search ($10) to confirm what remains on your public record
2. Obtain a certified copy of your judgment of conviction from the convicting court ($10 plus per-page fees)
3. Get fingerprinted on an RI-008 card at any sheriff's office or police station ($15–$25)
4. Complete Form MC 227 — do not sign until a notary or deputy clerk witnesses
5. Make five copies of the application and attachments
6. File the application with the convicting court clerk and follow the clerk's copy instructions
7. Mail the required copies to the MSP with the fingerprint card and $50 money order (payable to "State of Michigan"), and send copies separately to the Attorney General and prosecuting official. Complete the Proof of Service after mailing, return one completed copy to the court, and keep one.
8. Prepare a rehabilitation portfolio: employment letters, education certificates, community service records

Hearing timing depends on local practice. Current SCAO instructions say the clerk may set a date at filing, but the hearing cannot be held until the MSP report is received. You must attend and answer the judge's questions about your rehabilitation.

Where Pro Se Filers Get Tripped Up

The most common mistakes: forgetting to notarize before mailing, sending the fingerprint card to the wrong MSP address, missing the $50 fee, or failing to complete the Proof of Service section on page three of MC 227. Any of these can delay your petition by months.

The Michigan Expungement & Record Sealing Guide covers each step with annotated form instructions, a service-of-process address list, and templates for rehabilitation letters — everything an attorney's paralegal would assemble, organized for someone filing on their own.

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