State’s Attorney Glasgow Announces More Than 1,600 Low-Level Cannabis Possession Cases Will Be Expunged

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that he presented a Motion on Tuesday before Chief Judge Kennedy to expunge the records of 1,653 low-level cannabis possession cases involving misdemeanor possession of less than 30 grams of cannabis. Chief Judge Kennedy signed the Order to Expunge upon receipt of Glasgow’s Motion. The expungements are the result of a cooperative effort between the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Will County Twelfth Judicial Circuit, and Will County Circuit Clerk Andrea Lynn Chasteen.

Under the new law legalizing recreational cannabis use and sales, expungement is automatic for cases involving possession of less than 30 grams of cannabis. The law requires the Illinois State Police, Prisoner Review Board, and Illinois Attorney General to identify and expunge eligible low-level cannabis offense records, arrests, charges, and/or convictions according to the following schedule:

  • January 1, 2021, for offenses occurring between January 1, 2013, and June 25, 2019.
  • January 1, 2023, for offenses occurring between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2013.
  • January 1, 2025, for offenses occurring before January 1, 2000.

The statute gives Illinois State’s Attorneys the authority to expedite the expungement process by filing a motion to vacate and expunge eligible offenses. The records expunged under today’s Order involve low-level cannabis offenses occurring between January 1, 2013 and June 25, 2019. State’s Attorney Glasgow will file additional motions to address the remaining cases set to be expunged in advance of the time frames set by the statute.

Individuals who wish to find out whether their records will be expunged under the Order may contact the Will County Circuit Clerk’s Office at circuitclerkofwillcounty.com, or by calling 815-727-8592. The Order addresses offenses involving possession of less than 30 grams of cannabis that occurred between January 1, 2013 and June 25, 2019.

Although the Act also gives authority to expunge class 4 felony and misdemeanor cannabis delivery offenses, the motion to vacate and expunge addressed simple cannabis possession cases that are not associated with felony charges or offenses outlined by the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act.