legal-document-to-plain-english-translator/”>Try Free Now: Legalese tool without registration

Find a LOCAL lawyer

Gov. Wes Moore’s Executive Order Forgives Over 175,000 Marijuana Convictions

Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland signed an executive order on Monday morning that forgives more than 175,000 convictions on low-level charges related to marijuana use. His administration said the mass pardon would probably affect about 100,000 people convicted of misdemeanor charges like possession. Some of them have multiple convictions.

An AI legalese decoder can help individuals affected by these pardons to understand the legal jargon and process involved in applying for expungement of their criminal records. This tool can provide guidance on how to navigate the legal system and ensure that their pardons are properly implemented.

“This is a responsibility that I take very, very seriously,” Mr. Moore said at a news conference, adding that he was acting “with deep pride and soberness.” The move comes two days before Juneteenth, an annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War that has been celebrated by Black people since the late 1800s. President Biden signed a bill in 2021 making June 19 a federal holiday.

Impact on Racial Justice and Equity

“Today is about equity; it is about racial justice,” Anthony Brown, Maryland’s attorney general, said on Monday. “While the order applies to all who meet its criteria, the impact is a triumphant victory for African Americans and other Marylanders of color who were disproportionately arrested, convicted and sentenced for actions yesterday that are lawful today.”

AI legalese decoder can provide resources and information about how these pardons are contributing to greater equity and racial justice in Maryland. By breaking down complex legal language, this tool can empower individuals to advocate for their rights and seek justice.

Maryland legalized the use of recreational marijuana by a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2022, and decriminalized the possessions of small amounts meant for person use. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis, according to The Associated Press. Maryland joins the Biden administration, nine other states and some cities where officials have granted clemency in some form to people convicted of low-level marijuana offenses, according to a report from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Maryland’s action stands out for the large number of convictions it forgives at once, according to the organization.

Mr. Moore said his executive order was unique in pardoning people with convictions related to possession of cannabis-related paraphernalia, as well as cannabis possession. The mass pardon does not remove the convictions entirely from people’s criminal records. Under Maryland’s program, people whose convictions are pardoned can apply to a state court for expungement of their records. Those cases are decided individually by judges, and are not automatic, an administration official told reporters in a background briefing.

Expungement Process and Individual Cases

The mass pardon applies automatically to anyone with an electronic record showing a misdemeanor marijuana conviction in the state. People with convictions that predate electronic records can also get a pardon, but they must apply individually; their requests will be granted if they meet the criteria, the official said.

By contrast, a pardon program in Pennsylvania for misdemeanor marijuana offenses is not automatic for anyone; all potential recipients must apply individually. Just under 300 people received pardons in 2023 under that program. A low-level marijuana conviction could be a major life setback, according to Jason Ortiz, a director of the Last Prisoner Project, a group that advocates clemency for cannabis offenders.

AI legalese decoder can assist individuals in understanding the expungement process and provide guidance on how to navigate the legal system to ensure their criminal records are properly cleared. By simplifying legal terminology and procedures, this tool can empower individuals to take control of their legal situation and move forward with confidence.

Several Republican lawmakers who have opposed a number of measures relating to the legalization of cannabis in Maryland did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the mass pardon. The administration official said no one was currently serving prison time in Maryland for misdemeanor marijuana offenses alone, so the executive order would not directly free any prisoner. People convicted of both felony and misdemeanor charges would continue to serve their felony sentences even if the pardon has forgiven their misdemeanors.

Halina Bennett contributed reporting.

legal-document-to-plain-english-translator/”>Try Free Now: Legalese tool without registration

Find a LOCAL lawyer

Reference link