Regent Law’s Center for Global Justice Helps Advance Major Expansion of Virginia Vacatur Law

April 14, 2026

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (April 14, 2026) — The Center for Global Justice at Regent University School of Law is celebrating landmark legislation expanding legal relief for survivors of human trafficking across Virginia, a measure the Center supported through advocacy, research, and student engagement during the legislative process.

Governor Abigail Spanberger signed the legislation, marking a significant step forward for survivors seeking to clear criminal records resulting from their exploitation.

Center for Global Justice Director Meg Kelsey co-chaired the legislative workgroup supporting the bill in collaboration with the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking (VCAHT) and other partners. Faculty, staff, and students from Regent Law’s Human Trafficking Clinic also contributed, meeting with lawmakers in Richmond to share their firsthand experience working with survivors.

“This legislation reflects what we have learned through years of representing survivors,” said Kelsey. “Working directly with survivors, the gaps in the law become impossible to ignore. By continuing to show up in courtrooms, in Richmond, and alongside those rebuilding their lives, we’ve been able to help close those gaps and refine the law step by step. I am incredibly proud of the talented team of Regent Law students who have helped push this historic work forward.”

Under prior law, survivors could seek vacatur only for a limited list of offenses. The newly signed legislation broadens eligibility to include all misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, reflecting the reality that trafficking survivors are often coerced into a wide range of offenses.

The legislation also introduces procedural improvements designed to make relief more accessible and consistent across Virginia. These include a presumption of victim status when qualifying documentation is provided, helping establish a more standardized process for recognizing trafficking victims. The reforms also provide a clearer pathway for demonstrating that an offense resulted from trafficking, promoting greater consistency across jurisdictions throughout the Commonwealth. Together, these changes reduce uncertainty for survivors and make relief more attainable.

This legislation represents the latest step in an ongoing effort in which the Center for Global Justice has played a consistent role. Since Virginia first established a limited vacatur process in 2021, and following the launch of the Human Trafficking Clinic in 2023, the Center has represented survivors, secured the first successful vacatur petitions in the Commonwealth, and participated in successive legislative efforts to address gaps identified through direct client representation. As each legislative update took effect, the Center gained firsthand insight into remaining barriers and helped inform further improvements.

The new legislation takes effect July 1, 2026.

About the Center for Global Justice

The Center for Global Justice at Regent University School of Law advances human rights and justice through legal education, scholarship, and direct representation. Through initiatives such as the Human Trafficking Clinic, the Center provides free legal services to survivors and equips students to pursue justice through hands-on advocacy and policy engagement.

About Regent Law

Regent Law equips students to serve as purpose-driven, practice-ready attorneys grounded in timeless legal principles. More than 3,800 alumni practice in all 50 states and over 20 countries, including 38 currently serving as judges. In 2026, Regent ranked No. 91 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report — the fastest-rising law school in the nation from 2021 to 2026. Regent Law also achieved the highest first-time bar passage rate in Virginia on the 2024 exam and ranked 39th in the nation for first-time bar passage overall. Additional honors include a tie for second in the nation for professor accessibility and ninth for teaching quality according to Princeton Review. It offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights, an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies, and an online B.A. in Law.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with nearly 14,000 students studying on its 100-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online worldwide. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the No. 1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 14 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2026) and the No. 1 Best Christian College in America (Bible College Online, 2025).

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