Washington Marijuana Justice Initiative

Are prior cannabis convictions from the state of Washington holding you back, keeping you from getting a good job or landing that perfect rental?  Governor Jay  Inslee made history today by announcing (click here for video of the announcement) the “Marijuana Justice Initiative” wherein he will “exercise his constitutional clemency authority to pardon individuals who have a single conviction on their criminal record.  That sole conviction must be for adult misdemeanor marijuana possession, prosecuted under state law in Washington”. The date of the conviction must have occurred between January 1, 1998 and December 5, 2012 (when I-502 legalized marijuana possession), been prosecuted under Washington state law (RCW), not a local ordinance and it must be the only conviction listed on the criminal record.  State records approximate 3,500 individuals will be eligible for clemency.  

Click this link to apply.  In addition to basic personal information, you will also need to know the jurisdiction of the conviction, date and court case number.  

After a petition has been submitted, the Governor’s office will “review and compare the information against data from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to confirm whether you are eligible for a pardon through the Marijuana Justice Initiative”. Your petition will be processed in the order in which it was received and should you be confirmed to be eligible for relief through this initiative, then the governor will issue you a pardon, forgiving you for the cannabis conviction.  A copy of the pardon is sent from the Governor’s office, to the court clerk in the jurisdiction in which the conviction occurred as well as to the Washington State Patrol.

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