ST. LOUIS – Friday marks the deadline in Missouri for processing all non-violent marijuana-related misdemeanors and felonies.
“It was exactly one year ago today that anyone over 21 gained the right to possess, consume and cultivate cannabis,” says Dan Viets, Missouri coordinator for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, NORML.
More than a year has passed since Missouri voters passed Amendment III, which required the courts to expunge convictions for anyone guilty of possession of marijuana in the amount of 35 grams or less prior to this year.
June 8th was the deadline for misdemeanors, and Friday, December 8th was the deadline for felonies to be wiped clean. Just how many convictions have been expunged?
“[Friday] is a very important anniversary, and it is also coincides with the week that we have more than 100,000 marijuana cases expunged from government records,” said Viets.
A lawyer representing NORML, Viets says the state has done a pretty good job of overturning the marijuana convictions, but many circuit clerks won’t meet the required deadline.
“Now the courts are going to need more time to finish the job, and in fact, it might be years before all the cases from the past century are expunged,” says Viets. “We’ve had more than 100 years of marijuana prohibition in Missouri. Many of the older cases have never been put on a database. So, it’s going to take a lot of physical work to locate those paper records in boxes and attics and go through them.”
According to the Supreme Court of Missouri, there have been 2,397 marijuana expungements granted in St. Charles County, 3,211 in St. Louis County and 1,664 in the City of St. Louis.
“Article 14 provides the money to do that,” says Viets. “The 6% statewide sales tax on marijuana sales goes to expungement along with other causes, but the first priority is to pay for expungement. Circuit clerks have the money to hire extra staff or pay overtime to get this job done.”
Viets says it’s the responsibility of the individual who had a marijuana conviction to contact the circuit clerk of the county where their case occurred, then to ask and have their case expunged.
“There’s no doubt that their cases will eventually be expunged,” says Viets. “No one is going to lose the opportunity for expungement just because circuit clerks have missed the deadline.”
Viets says Missouri’s law has been effective and efficient compared to other states. He says it could also be life-changing for many seeking employment, acquiring a car, or buying or renting a home.
