Sonoma County District Attorney Changes Course on Prop. 64 Expungements
March 8, 2018 – Monday, March 5, Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced that her office would be proactively reviewing past marijuana-related crimes to see which were eligible for expungement under Proposition 64. This is a complete shift from Ravitch’s initial position, when she initially said last month that she would not follow the lead of other District Attorneys, like the San Francisco DA’s Office, in proactively clearing past pot offenses.
Ravitch’s office claimed that the policy shift was due to “further consideration related to the 75 or so petitions the office had already received,” however it was also likely due to the fact that she is running for re-election and did not want to lose the progressive vote.
Ravitch remained neutral on Proposition 64, which 59% of Sonoma County voters approved. Her position is contrary to that of Sonoma County voters on the following recent ballot propositions: Proposition 57 to increase parole chances for some individuals in prison (she opposed; 69% of Sonoma County voters were in favor); Proposition 47 to reduce some crimes, including drug possession, from felonies to misdemeanors (she opposed; 69% of Sonoma County voters were in favor); and Proposition 36 to reform the “Three Strikes Law” (she opposed; 76% of Sonoma County voters were in favor).
The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office website now has a page for Proposition 64 Expungements, which contains a link to templates for a petition and proof of service. Individuals who were convicted of past marijuana-related offenses in Sonoma County can access those forms there and can file them with the Court Clerk. The Court Clerk for the Criminal Division is located in Room 105-J. They must then serve a copy of the filed petition on the Sonoma County District Attorney. The DA’s office is located in Room 212J at the Sonoma County Courthouse.
Regarding this policy shift, Omar Figueroa noted, “As a lawyer helping clients navigate complex cannabis issues, my office looks forward to working in conjunction with District Attorney Jill Ravitch to get the word out about this progressive policy.”
This information is provided as a public service and is not intended as legal advice. For more information about clearing past convictions from your record and to schedule a confidential legal consultation, please contact the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa at (707) 829-0215 or info@omarfigueroa.com.