And while the relief for past convictions is a component built into California’s new marijuana laws, the process is not automatic. Individuals with past marijuana convictions must know the relief exists, petition the courts themselves to file the appropriate paperwork and may need to retain an attorney to do so. San Francisco District Attorney George GascónIn January, Gascón announced that his office would automatically be applying the law to all misdemeanor and felony cases in San Francisco dating back to 1975. The approach is novel because no action is required from eligible individuals with past marijuana convictions to take advantage of the law. Since Gascón’s announcement, prosecutors from around the state and nation have pledged to reduce or dismiss old marijuana convictions.

Source: Huffington Post May 16, 2018 18:33 UTC