Cleaning Up the Past: Expanded Opportunities to Expunge Convictions

Wade V. Davies, managing partner at Ritchie, Davies, Johnson & Stovall P.C. law firm specializing in criminal defense, will be the featured speaker. Mr. Davies attended Pomona College in Claremont, CA, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in History. He then attended the University of Tennessee College of Law and joined the RDJS firm during his first year in law school. He graduated first in his class in 1993, became a partner at RDJS in early 1999 and is now the managing partner at the firm.

Mr. Davies’ practice includes both criminal defense and civil litigation. In his criminal defense practice, he represents clients at both trial and appellate levels and offers legal assistance for everything from state court cases to complicated federal trials. In his civil practice, Mr. Davies focuses on litigation against both federal and state government and agencies, also serving as an expert witness on the standards for defense counsel in criminal cases.

Mr. Davies is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. He has been honored with Martindale-Hubbell® Law Directory’s highest ranking (AV) and is a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College. He is a member of numerous organizations, including the Knoxville Bar Association, and is past-Chair of the Helen Ross McNabb Center Board of Directors.

The path to expungement of a criminal record in Tennessee is complicated and not standardized across the state. Changes to Tennessee law starting in 2012 created a partial path to voting rights restoration by providing a mechanism for expungement of certain convictions, and were expanded again in 2021. The importance of expungement cannot be understated – it allows a person to seek employment without a criminal record and vote, thereby regaining their place as a meaningful member of society.

Lunch with the League welcomes League members and nonmembers alike to this informative presentation. For instruction on linking to the live presentation, contact maryannreeves1 [at] att.net. All League members will receive an email with the zoom link prior to the meeting. A couple of days following the presentation, you may view the recorded presentation on the League’s website (https://my.lwv.org/tennessee/oak-ridge).

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is a nonpartisan political organization for men and women. It encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.