Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty plans to host a felony-level expungement clinic next week to assist those with eligible convictions with sealing their court records.

The clinic will take place Feb. 28 from noon to 8 p.m. at Urban League Twin Cities, 2100 Plymouth Av. N., Minneapolis. The local nonprofit and other organizations such as the Minneapolis NAACP are working with Moriarty's office to host the event.

Only those with felony convictions originating from Hennepin County are eligible for the clinic, which Moriarty said is designed to "expedite" the expungement process.

"This prosecutor-initiated expungement service demonstrates a commitment to facilitating a fresh start for those seeking to rebuild their lives," Moriarty wrote in a statement.

"When people commit crimes, it is important they are held accountable. But it is equally important that after that accountability, they have an opportunity to move beyond their past," Moriarty said in a statement. "Expungement provides an incentive for people to invest in themselves and their community."

When Minnesota last year legalized adult-use recreational marijuana, it included the automatic expungement of nonviolent, low-level cannabis crimes. Some felony marijuana-related records are eligible for expungement if they apply to have their case considered by a new state expungement board.

Expunged records are sealed from the general public but still accessible or reopened for court-related matters and certain background checks for jobs in education, human services and criminal justice agencies.

Minnesota has a long history of expungement, dating back to at least 1977. In 2015, the state passed legislation to make it easier to expunge certain crimes, but typically the process is lengthy and costly.

Last year, the Minnesota Legislature included expungement with marijuana legalization due to barriers in obtaining work and housing with convictions on their records.