Tag: Rhode Island Courts

Rhode Island Courts Expunges Over 23k Cannabis Cases June 23, 2023 Court officials in Rhode Island have revealed how many marijuana possession charges they successfully expunged. As required under the state's new legislation law, the courts have automatically erased more than 230,000 records and expect to continue the momentum. These expungements mark the continuing progress of phase one of the state's ongoing clearing of marijuana possession charges. These expungements resulted from the Rhode Island Cannabis Act, which the General Assembly passed in 2022. The first provision in this Act allowed residents to possess small amounts of marijuana. In addition, it also required the courts to expunge prior marijuana possession convictions automatically. These expungements do not apply to all records. As such, selling, delivering, or manufacturing marijuana will not qualify for automatic expungement. The previous law required defendants to file a petition and pay a fee to expunge these convictions. However, the Rhode Island Cannabis Act changed this requirement to allow eligible cases to undergo automatic expungement for free. State Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul A. Suttel signed Executive Order 2023-02 earlier this year. This order created a two-phase process for carrying out these expungements. Under this order, all criminal convictions for simple marijuana possession committed by those 18 and older may benefit from automatically expunged records. In addition, those 21 or older may have their civil convictions expunged. Phase 1 would have singular possession convictions expunged by the district and superior courts; the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal would assist with the process. However, this expungement requires the charge to involve simple possession only. This phase has successfully expunged 23,000 cases. According to the judiciary, the courts completed these expungements ahead of the April 30, 2023, deadline. According to the outline in the executive order, Phase 2 would address expungements for more complicated cases. For example, it would look into records involving simple marijuana possession and other charges or counts. Though the courts are still planning how to complete this process, the judiciary claims it is still on track. They asserted they would complete Phase 2's expungements by the July 1, 2024, deadline. With these expungements underway, employers should take this time to reevaluate policies regarding marijuana-related convictions. They should also consider working with a background checking provider experienced with second chance hiring programs. The right partner will utilize their knowledge to provide effective and valuable assistance. In addition, they will provide accurate reports that comply with all relevant laws and regulations. Discover the benefits of Pre-employ’s seamless background checks for your business. Contact a Sales representative today. Source

Tag: Rhode Island Courts

Rhode Island Courts Expunges Over 23k Cannabis Cases

Our Process

Our Platform

Screenings

For Your Industry

For Your Role

Webinar

Resources Library

Logins

E-Book

Services

Industry

Resources

Our Company