Crime & Traffic

Cannabis is legal in Illinois. Many arrests and convictions for cannabis can be expunged. Having a criminal record can make it harder to get a job, housing, and creates other barriers in your life. Clearing your record can remove barriers.

There are 3 groups with different rules for clearing your record: 

• You are in group 1 if you were arrested for minor cannabis offenses. You may qualify for automatic expungement of your arrest record if you fall in this group. Clear a group 1 cannabis arrest. 
• You are in group 2 if you were convicted of minor cannabis offenses. You may qualify for automatic expungement, but the process is different. Clear a group 2 minor cannabis conviction. 
• You are in group 3 if you were convicted of certain possession and dealing charges, depending on the amount and when the conviction happened. You may be able to file a motion A request to the judge to make the court or a party in the case do something to expunge To physically remove someone's name from a legal record. your record if you fall in this group. Clear a group 3 cannabis conviction. 

If you have cannabis arrests and convictions in multiple groups, each is expunged differently based on the record-clearing group it falls under.

While cannabis is legal in Illinois, it can still impact many areas of one's life. Learn about:

• Cannabis and housing law
• Cannabis and immigration status
• Cannabis and disability rights
• Cannabis and employment

Find answers to common questions about cannabis use and expungement here, or select a question below.