Rhode Island Expunges More Than 23,000 Cannabis Possession Records
The Rhode Island judiciary system has successfully expunged more than 23,000 records related to cannabis possession, marking the completion of the initial phase of cannabis relief mandated by the state’s legalization law and a Supreme Court executive order.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the judiciary announced that 3,015 cases were expunged in the Superior Court, 10,650 cases in the District Court and 9,952 cases in the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.
Through collaborative efforts between courts and law enforcement, automated relief was provided in compliance with the state’s enactment of adult-use legalization last year. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Suttell further facilitated the process by issuing an executive order outlining the procedures for mass expungements in January.
“The automatic expungement of marijuana charges has been an impressive achievement,” State Court Administrator Julie Hamil said in a recent announcement. “The Judiciary has demonstrated coordination at all levels to ensure the timely and comprehensive execution of this process.”
The second phase of the expungement process will focus on clearing cannabis possession records related to cases with multiple criminal violations. Planning is underway for this phase and must be completed by July 1, 2024.
H/T: cannabisnow.com
