Now that recreational cannabis is legal in Oregon, many people with a past history of marijuana sales or possession wonder, “Does my past criminal record still count?” Well, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is, yes, your past criminal record involving cannabis still counts. This means you must still declare any convictions on employment and rental applications. Too many times, just checking that little box next to “yes” for criminal history is enough for the person reviewing your application to set it in the “no” pile.
Defense Lawyers in Eugene Have Good News!
The good news is past nonviolent crimes involving marijuana now qualify for expungement under Oregon House Bill 3327. More good news is that those currently serving sentences for non-violent crimes involving the possession, trafficking, or sales of cannabis committed before July 1st, 2013 may qualify for a reduction of their sentences. In some cases this reduction might lead to an immediate release.
Why You Should Get Your Record Expunged
A drug conviction on your criminal record closes doors. It is very difficult for a prospective landlord or employer to overlook criminal convictions, especially if you were convicted of a felony. There are always more qualified candidates with clean records who could easily fill your spot. Of course, if you have a cannabis conviction on your record, you probably know this already.
But did you know that an expungement completely removes any trace of your conviction from the record? If you are currently a felon due to a non-violent cannabis offense, having your conviction expunged would mean gaining back all your rights as a law-abiding citizen. This may include rights like voting and gun possession as well as a much easier time getting a job or finding housing.
Can a Eugene Defense Attorneys Help Me?
Senate Bill 364 states that any person charged with a cannabis-related drug offense shall be treated as if the charge occurred under current law, as long as the offense occurred before July 1st, 2013. What this means is your conviction stands a good chance of being expunged if what you were doing at a time would be legal today.
So, any aggravated conviction of possession of less than an ounce, for instance, is completely eligible for expungement. However, if the offense involved violence or property destruction, they will more than likely not be expunged, since even though the underlying conviction may have been cannabis-related, violence and property destruction are still illegal.
Eugene Attorneys Making Strides
Oregon is pioneering the way that cannabis legalization works in the United States. With all this new territory comes new challenges. It takes an experience Eugene criminal defense lawyer like Veralrud and Foster to help you with this new legal framework. If you think you might qualify to have your cannabis conviction expunged, call Veralrud and Foster today. They will review the details of your case and tell you how the status of your conviction might have changed.
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