expungement

Your criminal record may be able to be erased this fall.

Cases eligible under the Marijuana Decriminalization Law are expunged automatically, wiping them from the courts' public record and absolving past offenders from having to report their charges on job, housing, or college applications.

The offenses covered are fourth-degree and disorderly persons charges involving distribution and possession of certain amounts, possession of paraphernalia, using or being under the influence, and operating a motor vehicle while in possession.

Gov. Phil Murphy signs law making it easier to erase and get past criminal convictions. "Who hasn’t made a mistake, for crying out loud?” he said.

Senate and Assembly approve a plan to make it easier to erase past criminal convictions. They're looking at possible changes to medical marijuana bill.

Final legislative approval of medical marijuana expansion is likely June 10. Senate tweaked the bill to further encourage the industry's workers to unionize.

Expungement of criminal records advanced easily. But vote on switching to civil fine for possession was shelved, revived, then advanced without discussion.

A new law in New Jersey may give many with a criminal record a second chance.

In New Jersey the criminal record expungement process can be very expensive and very lengthy even for those who are victims of identity theft and did not commit any crimes. There is a push among several lawmakers to expedite the process for victims and allow their records to be immediately sealed for free if they can prove they are not guilty of the offenses on their records.

Do you think everybody deserves a second chance? New legislation just introduced in Trenton would allow anyone convicted of lesser than first-degree crimes to ask a judge to wipe their record clean after just two years, if they meet certain other benchmarks.