In 2016, the Justice Reinvestment act authorized expungement for several misdemeanor offenses as well as felony offenses after specified waiting period. As of 2023, the waiting period for most misdemeanors is five years and certain felonies seven years. As of 2022, convictions for marijuana became eligible after the completion of the individual’s sentence. Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute is eligible for expungement after three years. “If a person is convicted of a new crime during the waiting period, they are not eligible for expungement unless the new conviction is also expungable unless the new conviction is also expungable.” If there are any pending offenses, the person may not be eligible for expungement. The good news is that there are over 100 misdemeanors eligible for expungement which includes second degree assault, drug possession or theft. In order to determine your eligibility under the Justice reinvestment act. Visit https://ccresourcecenter.org. If you need legal assistance for expungement purposes, there are many resources available including: Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County: https://www/clspgc.org. Maryland Legal Aid Bureau: https://www/mdlab.org/free-legal-clinics. Maryland Office of the Public Defender: https://www.opd.state.md.us/expungement. Most prior convictions may result in your being ineligible for certain employment, housing or government benefits. In order to ensure a fresh start from your past, it is important to take advantage of free resources to provide you with assistance.
