Today, a Manhattan Supreme Court Judge has ordered that 350 old Marijuana Possession Convictions be sealed. This is the result of a class action petition brought forth by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, The Legal Aid Society, New York County Defender Services and several other law groups, attempting to make it easier for those with low level Marijuana convictions to find housing and get jobs.
Although New York State has not legalized Marijuana, this is yet another step to further decriminalize it. According to Emma Goodman, staff attorney with the Special Litigation Unit at The Legal Aid Society, “Despite New York’s recent efforts, too many people are still prevented from leading the successful and rewarding lives they deserve. Until the sealing law changes, we are using all of the tools at our disposal to help as many people as we can.”
