But expungement clinics are nothing new. Especially to Attorney Barton Morris Jr. III, principal attorney and founder of the Cannabis Legal Group in Royal Oak.

As one of the most influential voices in expungement advocacy, Morris understands the need for assistance with setting aside criminal convictions. Especially where cannabis is concerned.

And you can bet he’ll be a part of the expungement clinics in Detroit, Pontiac, and Lansing.

Cannabis Expungement

An individual is not and SHOULD not be represented by his or her criminal misdemeanor or felony conviction. But that’s often the case.

These convictions – no matter how minor – can lead to difficulty in securing employment, housing and even education. They can just feel like a heavy burden.

But everyone makes mistakes. So why should isolated incidents of bad judgment that result in conviction haunt people forever? Especially when the offenses are no longer illegal?

In 2017 alone, 20,000 Michigan residents were arrested on low-level marijuana offenses. Yet under the Michigan Regulation and Taxation of Marihuana Act of 2018, these are no longer considered illegal offenses.

Many people aren’t aware that there is a possible solution to setting aside those convictions. Or they think it’s too difficult or financially out of reach for them to do so.

That’s why Morris and his team at Cannabis Legal Group will be working alongside the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association at three expungement clinics to help folks with free legal advice, document preparation, and instruction on what to do next to expunge these convictions off of their records.

Details on Expungement Clinics in Detroit, Pontiac, and Lansing

If you’re interested in expunging your criminal record, you can get help from experienced criminal expungement attorneys like Morris at no cost to you.

An attorney will determine your eligibility, prepare the necessary forms, and provide the instruction for next steps.

The expungement clinics will be held at the following locations during the dates and times listed:

Detroit

September 21st, 12 – 3 PM

Detroit Recovery Project

1145 W Grand Blvd

Detroit, MI 48208

Lansing

September 23rd, 3 – 8 PM

Union Missionary Baptist Church

500 S Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Lansing, MI 48915

Pontiac

September 24th, 5 – 9 PM

Your Emerging Space

7 N Saginaw St #3A

Pontiac, MI 48341

Just to be clear, these expungement clinics do not apply only to those with marijuana offenses.

To qualify, be sure you bring a valid photo ID. You can have no more than one felony conviction and no more than two misdemeanor convictions. You also need to have been discharged from jail/probation for at least 5 years before attending a clinic.

Please pre-register your information regarding your specific situation at www.expungemi.com BEFORE attending a clinic.

Get Your Life back

Attend one of the expungement clinics in Detroit, Pontiac, and Lansing to learn how you might be able to clear your name and clean up your conviction record.

Speaking with a professional could make a huge difference in your life, and it won’t cost you a cent.

How much can you say that about any more?

And to keep up to date on all things cannabis, check back with our blog regularly. You’ll find all the information you need right here.

The post Cannabis Expungement Clinics in Detroit, Pontiac, and Lansing appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

Even today, black people still have a nearly 4% higher chance of being arrested on marijuana-related charges.

So when recreational marijuana was legalized in November of 2018, Governor Gretchen Whitmer espoused expunging cannabis convictions in Michigan as a high priority.

And while there’s no doubt she still believes that people should not be penalized by a lifelong record for doing something that is now considered legal, there’s been no move toward those expungements.

So Jeff Irwin, a state senator from Ann Arbor, is taking action.

Expunging Cannabis Convictions in Michigan Should Be a Priority

Senator Irwin agrees. And he’s proposing a bill that would see it done automatically.

This is important because few people seek expungement of criminal records because the whole process is long and expensive. And there are still no guarantees.

Expunging these convictions automatically – i.e. without involvement of the court system – has already worked in other states.

In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that not only decriminalizes marijuana possession there, but also clears certain convictions from a person’s criminal record.

And coders in San Francisco through Code for America have volunteered to help authorities go through digital police files and expunge the records of those arrested for using marijuana, since it’s now legal in California.

The bill that Irwin’s proposing would automatically clear criminal records for more than 235,000 Michigan residents. He says the expungement job can be more easily executed using digital records kept through the state police.

“We would go in through the Michigan State Police’s database and make changes to records electronically and administratively without having to go through all the time and expense of going through the courts,” he said.

The Impact of a Simple Misdemeanor Weed Arrest

Petty offenses in the past can create sizable barriers. Those who have misdemeanor marijuana use or possession charges can find it challenging to apply for jobs or student loans.

And they can be discriminated against when it comes to housing too.

So Irwin sees this measure as important because of the impact it could have on such a large number of people.

And it’s all part of the bigger social justice movement. Other states are even setting aside a percentage of licenses to go to dispensaries with minority owners.

We’re hopeful that Senator Irwin’s bill will pass and prompt more movement toward social justice in Michigan.

Change Is ALWAYS Coming

The cannabis industry is growing fast and ever changing.

Stay on top of everything that’s happening by checking in with our regularly updated blog.

And if you own a cannabis business, or are planning on opening up a business soon, then it’s important that you make a name for yourself now.

Cannabis marketing and public relations are key to your success. So contact us today to discuss the difference we can make for you.

The post Could Expunging Cannabis Convictions in Michigan Be a Reality? appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

According to Michigan State Police statistics, 117,123 Michigan residents were charged with misdemeanor marijuana crimes over the past five years. Of those, 49,928 were convicted.

What that means is those nearly 50,000 people have found it difficult to secure housing or employment in certain industries. By law, they can also be denied credit from banks and face rejection from college admissions. And even if they do get into college, they may not be eligible for federal financial aid.

This is why expunging past marijuana convictions in Michigan in crucial.

What is Expungement?

An expungement is the primary way to deal with a conviction whereby a previous criminal charge is made non-public by a judge. It is, in mob terms, made to “go away.” But in a legal way. It’s done by filing what’s known as a Motion to Set Aside a Conviction in court. A lawyer, for instance, would file this motion in court to get before a judge.

The eligibility rules for an expungement depend, of course, on how many prior convictions a person has had. And some felony marijuana convictions – such as those for high-level distribution charges – are offenses that will still remain illegal even after Prop 1 is certified some time in December.

But in the meantime, it’s looking like Michigan lawmakers may just take up pending legislation that would make it easier to expunge past marijuana convictions during the upcoming lame-duck session. And if the outgoing incumbents don’t step up to fight it, Whitmer and the new Legislature will likely take up the issue early next year.

It Will Certainly Be a Process

And an arduous one, at that.

Expungement can be a burdensome process. And automatic expungement for previously convicted offenders will certainly be logistically complicated. It’s going to require coordinating potentially hundreds of thousands of records between state agencies and local court systems. In other words, it’ll be messy. And that’s sugar coating it.

But nobody said working for the government was easy. Logistical obstacles aside, the new Legislature is clear on the inherent unfairness of incarcerating or penalizing offenders for actions that are no longer illegal. They know it is their job to act.

Expunging Past Marijuana Conviction Is Only Fair

This past summer, State Rep. Sheldon Neeley, D-Flint, introduced two bills that would make it easier for those with past marijuana offenses to expunge their criminal records. The bills are similar to laws that have been adopted by other states where marijuana is already legal. The bills have been referred to the House Law and Justice committee.

This is progress. Especially considering that back in the dark ages (i.e. earlier this decade), a suite of bipartisan criminal justice reforms grabbed legislative attention. At least for a few minutes. This initiative aimed at reducing the prison population and it would have have diverted non-violent offenders to probation or counseling, released elderly inmates, and created systems to help offenders with post-prison skills.

The initiative was civilized and humane. It was dubbed “smart justice” and it garnered business and community support. Of course, it didn’t take long for fearful lawmakers to gut the whole thing – terrified of being seen as soft on crime.

But this is 2018.

And prosecutors around the state have already said they’ll drop pending marijuana-related cases for offenses that wouldn’t be illegal post-Prop 1.

Whitmer has also said she will use the governor’s power of clemency to free currently incarcerated marijuana offenders. This is judicious use of her power to pardon, given the margin by which Proposal 1 was approved was 56 percent for, and 44 percent against.

Times Have Changed

So why should Michiganders convicted of marijuana possession before the passage of Proposal 1 continue to face the barriers of offenses that no longer carry criminal penalties? No good reason that we can see.

It’s time to breathe new life into those old reforms. Expunging past marijuana convictions is the first step toward improving prison systems and creating a more civilized society.

And from our PR and marketing vantage point, it’s a pretty important step.

The post Expunging Past Marijuana Convictions in Michigan appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.