A heavy weight was lifted from the shoulders of dozens inside the Maury County Courthouse as their minor criminal charges were expunged from their records on Saturday.

Shery Pye, a 53-year-old who has called Columbia her home for her entire life, stood inside the courthouse waving her hands in the air and thanking God for the new blessing.

“Thank you Lord,” Pye shouted, her voice resonating through the historic courthouse.

Pye had a charge for driving on a suspended license and another for writing worthless checks weighing down her record.

After meeting with court staff and representatives of the district attorney's office, the criminal charges that inhibited her ability to find housing and added an additional hurdle when applying for a job were suddenly gone.

“I am feeling great,” she said. “It brings me great joy to know there are organizations trying to make a difference. It feels so good.”

The event was coordinated by All Hands on Deck, a nonprofit community group with a mission to educate the public on local issues, and carried out by the county court.

Those whose cases were dismissed in court or had not guilty verdicts were eligible for expungement. No true bills from grand juries and nolle prosequi decisions not to prosecute also generally result in opportunities for expungement.

To be eligible, an offender must not have committed any crimes within five years since release from incarceration.

“It takes a community and government to make this happen,” said Jai Lipscomb, founder of All Hands on Deck. “This gives people the freedom that people need to reignite their life, regenerate their life and live their life to the fullest. That should not be a burden on you forever. An expungement is not a privilege. It is a right.”

Lipscomb had previously worked with the court to issue expungements, but an event of this scale had never before been carried out by the local court.

The nonprofit managed pre-registration and provided a list of possible cases for the court to consider.

General Sessions Court Clerk Sandy McClain was busy overseeing the process on Saturday. Her office has been working with All Hands on Deck for the past year.

“We are glad to do it and be a public service,” McClain said. “We hope this can help someone.”

The court staff volunteered to work on the weekend and process the expungements.

General Sessions Judge Doug Chapman said he was glad to participate as he helped approve eligible participants inside the second-floor office of the courthouse.

“It is a great opportunity for people to clean up their records,” Chapman said. “We are glad to be a part of doing that.”

The All Hands on Deck Maury County Expungement Clinic was part of a statewide initiative carried out on Saturday. Similar events were held in Davidson and Shelby counties.

The event follows Gov. Bill Lee's singing of a bill that eliminates state fees for expungements.

“It's about helping people clean their records up and have those things that they are entitled to get expunged,” said Bobby Sands, a General Sessions judge in Maury County.

Antonio Bennett, a lifelong resident of Maury County, was the first to have his record expunged on Saturday. A domestic assault charge was removed from his record after a decade of being there.

“This is going to help me a lot,” Bennett said. “I feel great. I am just ready to get back to work now.”

He was on his lunch break form his job at a manufacturing facility in Mt. Pleasant.

“I am excited,” he said. “This gives everybody a hope that they can create a new opportunity for themselves.”

With the burden lifted, Bennett says he plans to return to school and study industrial maintenance.

Lukas Bryant watched as the court dismissed 12 misdemeanor charges from his record.

“This is for my kids, my wife and my family,” Bryant said. “It is a weight off my shoulders. I got into trouble when I was younger and this is a blessing. I can show my children it is never too late to right a wrong.”

As the newly expunged residents made their way out the building, they were greeted by representatives of the Tennessee Career Center and the Columbia Housing Authority, offering potential jobs and shelter.

They were also encouraged to register to vote.

A local educator and counselor, Jennifer Kinzer did not realize that a charge for driving on a suspended license was still on her criminal record until she applied for a new job.

She was one of the last ones to receive the expungement during Saturday's event.

“It brings freedom to me,” she said. “This is a new beginning for me. It opens a new door for me. We will no longer have something from our past haunting us.”

Kinzer says the expungement will help her continue on a new chapter in her life.

She was recently hired to serve as an advocate for victims of sexual assault at Columbia's Center of Hope, a refuge for people living with domestic violence. There she works with women, men and children who have been victims of sexual assault, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to move beyond trauma and toward a fulfilling life.

“It is very rewarding to be able to empower someone and give them their strength back,” Kinzer said. “I feel empowered today.”