Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana

08/14/2026

JAC was proud to attend the Good Neighbors Community Meeting in Donaldsonville, joining residents and community stakeholders in conversations surrounding the future Hyundai facility planned for the area.

Major economic development brings opportunity—but it’s important that the people who call the community home have a meaningful voice in what that growth looks like.

As plans move forward, community input, local hiring, and intentional pathways for justice-impacted and reentry workers can help ensure this investment creates opportunities that reach beyond the plant itself. Connecting qualified local residents—including people who have worked hard to rebuild their lives after incarceration—to good-paying jobs strengthens families, reduces barriers to successful reentry, and keeps more economic opportunity within the community.

At JAC, we believe successful reentry requires more than a second chance—it requires access to real opportunities. We’re encouraged to see community members at the table and will continue advocating for equitable access to employment as new opportunities come to Donaldsonville and surrounding communities.
When communities have a voice and local people have access to opportunity, everyone benefits.

08/09/2026

08/08/2026

HAPPENING TODAY: FREE EXPUNGEMENT CLINIC! 🚨

The Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana and our community partners are helping eligible individuals take the next step toward clearing their criminal records.

📅 Today—Saturday, August 8, 2026
⏰ Sign-up begins at 9:00 a.m.
📍 Johnny Jacobs Playground
5851 5th Avenue, Marrero, LA 70072
⚠️ First come, first served!

Please bring:

• State-issued ID
• Background check from the Sheriff’s Office or Louisiana State Police
• Bill of Information
• Sentencing minutes
• Proof of income or no income

All parishes are welcome to attend and receive services. However, funding for eligible expungements and background-check costs is limited to participants who live in Jefferson Parish, have charges in Jefferson Parish, and do not qualify for an IFP fee waiver.

If you live in another parish, JAC can provide information about parish-specific services and possible next steps.

A clear record can open doors to employment, housing, education, and new opportunities. Come see how JAC may be able to help!

08/06/2026

This morning, our phone rang with a message that stopped us in our tracks. 📞

Mr. Johnson called to personally thank our team after 10 months of attending our expungement clinic and his words reminded us exactly why this work matters.

After more than 40 years with a record, he can now pursue direct employment with a major construction company. A door that was closed for four decades is NOW open.

In his own words: "This gives me another avenue for work and I am so appreciative. I can work directly for the major construction company and not just as a subcontractor. I am older but not quite ready to retire, so this is awesome. I really believe that more people should talk about what this means to them and spread the word how you are changing lives for people like me and our families."

That is the power of an expungement. That is the power of your support.

If you believe everyone deserves a fair chance to work, provide for their family, and rebuild their life, please consider making a gift to JAC today. Every volunteer and donation fund free expungement clinics, legal services, and the staff who answer calls like Mr. Johnson's.

Link in bio to donate. 🔗

08/05/2026

Our commitment doesn't clock out at 5pm.

When you walk through our doors, you're not just a case number, you're someone with a family to feed, a home to protect, and a future worth fighting for. Our attorneys carry that weight with you.

This Black August, that commitment means:

📌 Staying late to make sure every client understands their rights...not just the legal jargon, but what it actually means for their life.

📌 Fighting for fair pay when employers try to shortchange the people who show up and do the work.

📌 Standing beside families facing fines and fees, because driving is more than a privilege.

📌 Answering the call — again and again — because trust isn't built in one meeting, it's built in showing up every time.

We don't just represent our clients. We walk with them. Because real justice isn't handed down from behind a desk; it is built shoulder to shoulder, in the community, one case at a time.

That's the JAC difference. We are Black August, lived out loud.

08/04/2026

Black August is not a holiday; it’s a call to conscience.

This month, we honor the legacy of those who fought for freedom, often at the highest cost: their lives, their labor, their bodies, and, for too many, years spent behind prison walls. What began with the memory of Jonathan and George Jackson has become a powerful lens, urging us to confront the truth about history, power, and the systems that decide who is punished, who is excluded, and who is given a second chance.

In Louisiana and across the nation, the impact of the criminal legal system doesn’t end when a sentence does. A record can become a second sentence...silently shutting out opportunities for jobs, housing, education, and stability. It’s not just about lost chances; it’s about lost dignity. That is not justice. That is punishment by another name.

At JAC, we fight to expand expungement, advance the New Endings & Opportunity Act, strengthen Clean Slate, reform driver’s license suspensions, and challenge harmful correctional practices. This is more than policy; it’s about tearing down barriers.

Black August matters to us because it’s not just about remembering the past, it’s about building a future rooted in courage and hope. It asks: What do we owe those who came before us? What do we owe those still trapped inside unjust systems? And what are we willing to do now that we know better?

Our answer is clear: We remember those inside. We honor the families who carry the burden. We uplift leaders like Albert Woodfox, whose humanity endured decades of solitary confinement. And we recommit to a Louisiana where a person’s past does not define their future.

Black August: Remember. Reimagine. Reclaim.

08/04/2026

🚨 FREE EXPUNGEMENT CLINIC — SATURDAY, AUGUST 8! 🚨

Ready for a new ending? The Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana and our partners are here to help you clear your criminal record and open new doors!

Join us for a FREE Expungement Clinic:
📅 Saturday, August 8, 2026
⏰ Sign-up starts at 9:00 a.m. (First come, first served!)
📍 Johnny Jacobs Playground, 5851 5th Avenue, Marrero, LA 70072

👩‍⚖️ Attorneys will be on-site to review your eligibility and guide you through the expungement process.
💸 Funding is available to cover background-check and expungement costs for eligible Jefferson Parish residents who:
✅ Live in Jefferson Parish
✅ Have charges in Jefferson Parish
✅ Do not qualify for in forma pauperis (IFP)

🌟 Not from Jefferson Parish? You’re still welcome to attend and receive services—clinic funding is just limited to qualifying Jefferson Parish matters.

📋 What to bring:
• State-issued ID
• Background check from the Sheriff’s Office or Louisiana State Police
• Bill of Information from the Clerk of Court
• Sentencing minutes from the Clerk of Court
• Proof of income or no income

Let’s break down barriers together! Tag or share with someone who deserves a second chance and a brighter future. ✨

08/03/2026

📍 New Orleans, We’re Here to Serve You!

If you’re looking for a fresh start, the Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana is here to help. Our New Orleans office is committed to providing legal and reentry services that help justice-impacted individuals overcome barriers and move forward with confidence.

Whether you’re interested in learning if you’re eligible for an expungement, need assistance navigating reentry, or are looking for resources to support your next chapter, our team is ready to assist.

🗓️ Save the Date!
Our next Expungement Clinic is Tuesday, August 12.

🚪 Doors open at 9:00 AM and clients are served on a first come, first served basis.

📍 Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana
4640 South Carrollton Ave., Suite 280 New Orleans, LA

📞 504-322-4050

Everyone deserves the opportunity to move beyond their past. Let us help you take the next step toward a brighter future.