Trenton Bureau
Nearly 88,000 low-level marijuana offenses have been dismissed over the past two weeks, the state Supreme Court said, as New Jersey transitions to legalizing and decriminalizing the drug.
The dismissed cases announced late Monday afternoon are the first in a wave of about 360,000 that are eligible to be automatically vacated, dismissed and expunged under the decriminalization law Gov. Phil Murphy signed earlier this year.
Although the first batch of cases have been dismissed, they still have to go through the expungement process, which is automatic under the law.
Earlier this month, Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner directed that pending cases and warrants for fourth-degree and disorderly persons offenses related to marijuana or hashish — including possession and distribution of small amounts, being under the influence and operating a motor vehicle while in possession of the drugs — be dismissed.