SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The San Diego County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that it has filed a motion to reduce 25,000 felony marijuana convictions to misdemeanors, while also moving to dismiss 1,000 misdemeanor marijuana convictions completely.
The District Attorney's Office says it has reduced or dismissed more than 1,600 marijuana-related convictions since 2016, when Proposition 64 was voted into law, legalizing recreational marijuana use in California.
The DA's Office's reduction and dismissal motions are pending review by a judge.
Under Prop 64, felony convictions of marijuana cultivation, possession of marijuana for sale and transporting marijuana are all eligible for resentencing, while misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions are eligible for dismissal.
District Attorney Summer Stephan said her office has "been a leader in the state and proactive on giving individuals with marijuana convictions the opportunity to move forward with their lives without a conviction that may have been negatively impacting their lives by restricting their employment or housing."
"This latest motion is the continuation of work that began more than two years ago," she said. "It's clear that the law was written to allow this relief, and it's important that we give full effect to the will of the people."
"We really hope that the second chance they're getting, that they are going to use for good," Stephan told News 8.
"Certainly our hope is that by removing these barriers it will help somebody move forward in a lawful and productive way," she added.
The San Diego County D.A.'s motion came about a week after Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced her office will dismiss nearly 66,000 marijuana convictions dating back as far as 1961, joining San Francisco, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Contra Costa counties in the California Clear My Record pilot program.
Last week, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office announced it would seek the dismissal of nearly 66,000 marijuana convictions.
"This is a way of providing some justice to our society," said Los Angeles County D.A. Jackie Lacey.
Those seeking information on whether they qualify for a conviction reduction or dismissal are advised to contact the San Diego County Public Defender's Office at 619-338-4700.