How to get marijuana convictions expunged

Teri Ross notes that marijuana convictions cannot be expunged until a person has completed all the conditions of the sentence. Those conditions might include community service, treatment and mandatory supervised release, also known as parole, she said.

Next, individuals have to fill out the appropriate court forms and file them with the circuit court clerk of every county where an offense occurred, Ross said. Individuals must send copies of those forms to the county's state's attorney's office, she said, noting that prosecutors have a right to object to expungement of certain records.

After filing the forms with the clerk, a person will receive a court date where a case for expungement can be made to the judge, Ross said.

It's a lot of work, but expungement has advantages, she said.

“It hides your record from potential employers, housing providers, educational institutions and more who might otherwise be able to access that record and use it to make a decision about whether to hire, house or enroll you,” Ross said.

“It breaks down a significant barrier to achieving a more stable, productive life,” she said.

For more information and forms, see illinoislegalaid.org.