What You Need To Know About ExpungementWhat You Need To Know About Expungement
Beyond Substance
In this episode of Beyond Substance, hosts Dean Babcock and Jodi Miller explore expungement in Indiana and why it can be a critical step for people working to rebuild their lives in recovery. Dean speaks with Robin Kelly, an attorney with Indiana...
58:10•13 May 2026
Fresh Starts and Clean Slates: Expungement, Recovery and Second Chances
Episode Overview
- Expungement in Indiana is a civil process with three main requirements: a waiting period after the last conviction, no pending charges, and no unpaid court costs or restitution.
- Criminal convictions can only be expunged once in a lifetime in Indiana, so people are urged to be certain they are done with offending before starting the process.
- Some serious offences, such as murder and certain sex offences, are not eligible for expungement, and restitution cannot be waived.
- Sealed or expunged records mean people must be treated as though they were never convicted, and discrimination based on an expunged conviction can be challenged legally.
- Charmin Gabbard’s story shows how recovery, education, licence restoration and expungement can dramatically reduce barriers and reshape a person’s sense of self-worth.
“Expungement is a very serious choice… it’s a once-in-a-lifetime decision in Indiana.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction and still have a criminal record hanging over their heads? This episode of Beyond Substance looks at how expungement in Indiana can remove some of the heaviest legal barriers people face in long-term recovery.
Dean Babcock and Jodi Miller keep things practical and down-to-earth as they frame expungement as more than a legal formality – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime choice that can change daily life for someone who’s already done the hard work of getting sober. Attorney Robin Kelly from Indiana Legal Services walks through exactly how expungement works in Indiana, breaking it into three clear requirements: enough time since the last conviction, no pending charges, and no unpaid court costs or restitution.
She stresses the seriousness of the process, saying that expungement in Indiana is “a once-in-a-lifetime decision,” and explains how records can be sealed or marked expunged – and what that means for jobs, housing, and discrimination. The episode then shifts into a powerful story led by Jodi Miller, following Charmin Gabbard, founder and executive director of Connection Cafe.
Charmin shares a childhood marked by violence, neglect and early substance use, years of addiction and incarceration, and the weight of 27 charges, 13 felonies and two lifetime licence suspensions. She talks about the moment she decided she wanted to live, not die, and how recovery allowed her to become a homeowner, gain a college degree, and eventually seek expungement alongside getting her licence back. “It changed who I was. It changed the way I thought about myself,” she says.
This episode is ideal for anyone in recovery, professionals supporting them, or loved ones trying to understand why legal relief like expungement can make such a difference. If you’ve ever wondered whether a fresh legal start could support a fresh sober start, this one is worth your time.
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