University of Arizona students found Expungement Clinic

University of Arizona student attorneys at the James E. Rogers School of Law in Tucson are taking personal action to help people erase records of low-level cannabis-related convictions. A number of deletion dates are pending, and students say the initial process of deleting records is quick.

KGUN 9 reports that locals, including one with a 1976 charge, are taking advantage of the school’s wipe-out program. Cannabis-related charges this old are still impacting employment and other opportunities.

Law students like Mia Burcham and Rebecca Caro Cohen help people erase their files at on-campus erasure clinics. To do this, they look for injunction data, which they said is usually available through publicly available court records.

“It’s a great feeling when someone walks out with an erased record. It could be quite life-changing,” Burcham said.

Burcham also offers extinguishing training and calls on volunteers to help. The training covers the appropriate forms and processes, as well as the clinic’s expectations and tips for interacting with the client.

The deletion process is relatively quick. According to Burcham and Cohen, people don’t even need ID to have a record deleted. All they need to know is the date they received the charge or arrest and where.

However, some of the oldest loads do not reside on any computer system and take longer to process. In this case, applicants seeking deletions must go directly to the court and request a file search.

“We really hope that when people come in, we can get them out the door with a completed petition, and so we can’t do that, which is frustrating,” Cohen said.

The next round of deletion is scheduled to take place on March 25 at the law school. They said if someone gets rejected, they work with the Arizona Marijuana Expungement Coalition to provide free legal aid to people.

If someone cannot make it to the University of Arizona Clinic in Tuscon, they can visit this website to register for deletion. It usually takes about one to two months total to find out if someone has deleted their file.

Arizona residents with minor cannabis convictions can have their records wiped under a state wipe program that started July 13, 2021. The deletions for minor cannabis convictions come courtesy of Proposition 207, the 2020 ballot initiative legalizing cannabis for adults 21 and older that was approved by 60% of Arizona voters.

Under the program, individuals with minor convictions for possession, transport, or consumption of 2.5 ounces or less of cannabis, of which no more than 12.5 grams may be cannabis concentrate or extract, may be expunged.

Individuals with convictions for possessing, growing, processing, or transporting up to six cannabis plants at their primary residence may also apply to have their records deleted. Exceptions can also be made for convictions for possession, use or transportation of paraphernalia related to the consumption, cultivation and processing of cannabis.

Individuals entitled to have their records erased must apply to the courts to have their records erased. Help is also available from other organizations, including Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM), which have offered extinguishing clinics as part of their Project Clean Slate initiative.

Arizona’s most populous county took an early lead. According to a press release dated August 30, 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court in Maricopa County has granted 3,643 motions to dismiss cannabis-related charges since the trial began.

Law students with the know-how are proving to be helpful in deleting records under Arizona’s erasure program.