The Montana Supreme Court passed a temporary rule which assists in the expunction of marijuana-related convictions. This new rule will hopefully help clear up confusion over how previous convictions of pot-related offenses may have their records cleared. The new recreational cannabis law states that anyone with previous marijuana-related convictions can now petition to have these charges removed, reduce their sentence, or have the charge reclassified to a lesser offense.
This temporary ruling will go into effect upon approval by the Montana Supreme Court and remain in effect until a unique marijuana conviction court is created according to the Montana Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, part of the marijuana legalization initiatives passed in the 2020 election. Governor Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 701 last summer, implementing the new adult-use cannabis program. Beginning in January, Montant recreational marijuana sales have amassed almost $12.9 million in sales. While the state’s sales systems functioned smoothly, the expunction process has been met with more varied results. Although some find the process accessible, others in particular districts have found that there lingers a negative sentiment about marijuana-related charges in some courts.
Those seeking expunction across the country have historically been met with an inaccessible, expensive, and highly stigmatized system. A successful expunction can be necessary for those seeking employment, housing, education, etc. This new rule will express to all state judges that they must presume a case qualifies unless proven otherwise by the prosecution.
An expunction is possible for you or your loved ones with Easy Expunctions. At Easy Expunctions, we believe a clean record should be easy, affordable, and accessible to all. Our record cleaning process is available 100% online with a quick eligibility check. Give yourself a second chance and set your future up for success by visiting EasyExpunctions.com or calling (866) 775-9983!