Noella Sudbury, a former public defender in Utah, founded Rasa Legal to address barriers faced by individuals with criminal records seeking employment and housing. After years of running expungement clinics where hundreds of people would arrive seeking help but leave turned away due to limited resources, Sudbury recognized the need for technological solutions to streamline the record clearance process.
Rasa Legal developed an artificial intelligence-powered application that determines eligibility for expungement in approximately three minutes, a task that previously required lawyers up to an hour to complete manually. The AI technology has also reduced the time required for lawyers to file expungement petitions by more than half. Since launching the app in 2022, Rasa has assisted in clearing records for 34,000 people across Utah, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. The service remains affordable, with eligibility checks offered at no cost, attorney consultations at $25, and full expungement cases handled for a flat fee of $500.
Experts estimate that more than 70 million American adults have some form of criminal record, with research indicating that approximately 20 million people could potentially clear their records under existing laws but have not done so. Studies have demonstrated that individuals whose records are cleared experience wage increases averaging 22% within a year and commit crimes at lower rates than the general population. Sudbury has advocated for clean slate legislation, which has gained bipartisan support for its economic and public safety benefits.
Expanding Rasa’s services nationwide presents significant challenges, as each state maintains distinct laws, databases, and procedural requirements. The company must negotiate data-sharing agreements with courts, corrections agencies, and other entities in each jurisdiction before customizing its AI systems to comply with local regulations. Currently, Rasa’s lawyers review all AI-generated court petitions, as the technology has occasionally produced errors, though approval rates exceed 90%.
Beyond technological efficiency, Rasa maintains human connection in its services through staff members like Virginia Mireles, who uses her personal experience with incarceration to guide clients through the record clearance process. Sudbury emphasizes that human interaction remains essential for individuals facing systemic barriers, noting that believing change is possible often requires personal connection with someone who has experienced similar challenges.
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