Alaska Supreme Court Orders Marijuana Records To Be Removed From Conviction Database
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“Given that [marijuana] has been legal for eight years, it appeared to the Supreme Court that this was an appropriate time not to have people…suffer the negative consequences that can stem from having your name posted on Courtview.” By James Brooks, Alaska Beacon On May 1, the Alaska Court System will remove the marijuana possession convictions of about 750 Alaskans from Courtview, the state’s online database of court cases. The Alaska Supreme Court announced the move in an order signed January 31 by the court’s five justices. The action, first publicized Sunday by The Alaska Landmine, follows years of similar, unsuccessful, legislative efforts to join a nationwide trend. “I’m glad that the Supreme Court has ordered this,” said Sen. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks. The records will still be available for inspection at courthouses and will be discoverable by a formal criminal background check, but they won’t be as easy to find for the general public. The removal covers only people who were 21 or older when they committed the offense of possessing an ounce or less of marijuana. The conviction can’t be associated with another crime. Nancy Meade, general counsel for the Alaska Court System, declined an interview request on behalf of the Supreme Court justices who approved the new order. Meade said the change originated with administrative staff and was considered by the justices under normal procedures. “Given that [marijuana] has been legal for eight years, it appeared to the Supreme Court that this was an appropriate time not to have people, as I say, suffer the negative consequences that can stem from having your name posted on Courtview. Because the conduct is considered legal right now,” she said. As states legalize recreational marijuana cultivation and use, they’re also considering whether to expunge, seal or otherwise obscure the criminal records of…

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Source : Alaska Supreme Court Orders Marijuana Records To Be Removed From Conviction Database

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