(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Copperstate Farms.)
By David Abott | Phoenix New Times
One of the big selling points for Proposition 207 legalizing cannabis in the state of Arizona was the possibility of expungement of pot-related convictions for nearly 200,000 residents affected by previous laws.
As the July 12 start date for qualified individuals to submit petitions to clear their records nears, clinics designed to help navigate the system have begun to pop up around the state.
To that end, Arizona NORML, the state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, has partnered with Copperstate Farms to host a free Expungement Resource Clinic from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, at the Sol Flower wellness classroom, 13650 N. 99th Ave., in Sun City.
The clinic, conducted by attorneys specializing in amicus or criminal law, will walk qualified applicants through the process of expungement. It will provide information on whether an individual qualifies to have records expunged, and how to fill out the paperwork if they do.
Anyone with an existing conviction that has been decriminalized or made legal with the passage of 207 can have their records eliminated and sealed. That includes charges or convictions for possession of up to 2.5 oz of flower or up to 12.5 grams of concentrate, possession of paraphernalia, or a charge of growing up to six plants for personal consumption.
“We provide people with information about how they can fill out petitions themselves, so these are self-help clinics,” Arizona NORML Communications Director Jon Udell said. “We’re not going to file petitions for people. There’s a lot of risk that goes along with doing that. We’ll essentially walk them through the petition that was released by the Arizona Supreme Court, explain what the different sections require, and provide information.”
