Expungement of Marijuana Convictions in Pennsylvania

Even though recreational marijuana remains illegal in Pennsylvania, if you have a previous conviction for possession or other marijuana-related crimes, you may still be able to have your conviction expunged. In some cases, your conviction may be sealed automatically; in others, you may need to file a petition to have your marijuana conviction expunged.

The LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team can help you check the status of your marijuana conviction records, and if they have not been sealed, we may be able to file a petition to have them expunged. Call us today at 888.535.3686, or fill out and submit our online contact form to schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your case.

Pennsylvania’s “Clean Slate” Law – Not the Same as Expungement

First, let’s be clear about some terminology. “Expungement” is when your marijuana-related conviction is completely erased from the state’s records. The conviction for all practical purposes no longer exists, at least as an official record of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

“Sealing” under Pennsylvania’s “Clean Slate” law is more limited. When your marijuana conviction or arrest records are sealed, that means they will still exist, but will not appear when someone, like an employer, landlord, or college, runs a criminal background check on you.

Having your marijuana conviction or arrest sealed may be enough in certain cases. While it will not eliminate the record of your conviction completely, for many people, it will help them secure employment, a better place to live, or educational opportunities that they may not have been able to take advantage of with their conviction showing up on a criminal background check.

Clean Slate May Not Be Enough

Clean Slate sealing is supposed to happen automatically; each month, the Pennsylvania Courts send a list of convictions eligible for Clean Slate sealing to the State Police, and the police must notify the courts if any convictions on that list are not eligible for sealing within 30 days. Otherwise, at the end of that 30-day period, the courts will seal the convictions on the list.

There are many cases, however, where the relief provided by Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate law is not enough. This is because it only applies to certain lower-level misdemeanor or summary offense convictions where a number of years have passed since the conviction without the person having been convicted of a separate misdemeanor or higher-level crime. In addition, all restitution ordered by the court in the case that is to be sealed must have been paid.

Expunging Your Conviction

In cases where your marijuana conviction does not qualify for Clean Slate sealing, or where sealing is not enough, it is possible to petition the courts to have your conviction expunged. This is a subjective process, one that is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. It is very much driven by the facts of your particular case. That is why if you want to file a petition to have your marijuana-related conviction expunged, your best chance for your petition to be successful is for you to work with one of the experienced attorneys from the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team.

Our attorneys have years of experience protecting the rights of people all across Pennsylvania who have been accused of committing crimes. We know the laws, regulations, and procedures that apply in criminal cases, and regularly prepare expungement petitions for clients who want a fresh start.

The LLF Law Firm is Here to Help With Your Expungement Petition

If you have been convicted of a marijuana-related crime, or any other crime, and are interested in having your conviction expunged, contact the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team at 888.535.3686, or by filling out our website contact form. It can be a challenge to have a conviction expunged, and our attorneys know the kinds of information the courts will consider important when reviewing an expungement petition. We will work closely with you to gather that information and to put it together in a compelling manner to give you the best chance of securing a result that can help you move forward with your life.