The Minnesota Department of Public Safety announced that they have completed the process of sealing more than 50,000 criminal records related to non-felony cannabis offenses after the decision was made to do so by state legislators last year.
The original goal was to have all the cannabis offenses expunged by early August of 2024, but the agency was able to complete the process three months ahead of schedule.
“It is very encouraging to see that misdemeanor cannabis criminal records are moving toward expungement now,” Cannabis Expungements Board Executive Director James Rowader said in a news release. “These actions together will have a lasting and significant equity impact on communities throughout the state of Minnesota.”
Nearly 58,000 non-felony cannabis related offenses were officially expunged in the process, while 213 were ineligible for expungement. Still, the DPS is encouraged that the vast majority of the low-level offenses will be sealed. It’s worth noting that expungment doesn’t mean that the records no longer exist, but in order to access them, a records request will need to be made through the Criminal History System. These offenses will also still be viewable in other states due to Minnesota’s involves in the National Crime Prevention and Privacy Company.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will now give local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies a list of records it has expunged so that a similar process can happen within those organizations. Moreover, the BCA will continue to review and expunge records through 2025 in case any such offenses were still moving through the courts during the most recent round of expungments.
Felonies Under Review
Individuals with felony-level cannabis offenses and convictions aren’t just completely passed over during the process either. The new Cannabis Expungment Board will review all felony-level offenses on an individual basis to determine if they should be expunged or if the convicted individual could be resentenced. The DPS said it will likely take several years for the felony convictions to be completely reviewed, as many of them involve additional aspects including possession of a deadly weapon, harm or the threat of harm, or similar dangerous aggravating factors.
Minnesota has recently adopted a lighter stance on marijuana possession and cannabis use, legalizing it on a recreational basis. As such, individuals who were affected by the outdated stricter regulations should be held against the new standard. It’s wonderful to see these low-level offenses be expunged, and hopefully anyone who was unjustly given a harsh sentence based on the old laws can have their sentence adjusted accordingly.
We will continue to fight for those who have been unjustly charged with drug possession or distribution because we know how immensely a drug conviction can affect your future. Let us help you fight your charge and avoid a worst case scenario. For more information, or for help with a different criminal matter, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
