This Maricopa felony marijuana sealing shows how far a record can be cleaned up even when the conviction is more than a decade old. The client, a disabled military veteran, was convicted of two Class 3 felony marijuana counts in 2012. Future First petitioned Maricopa County Superior Court under ARS § 13-911 and the court sealed every record of the arrest, the charges, and the sentence.
At a glance
| Original conviction | Sale or Transportation of Marijuana Under Two Pounds (ARS § 13-3405), two counts, Class 3 Felony, 2012 |
| Application filed | Petition to Seal Criminal Case Records, ARS § 13-911, 2026 |
| Court | Maricopa County Superior Court |
| Result | Sealing Record Granted, all records of arrest, conviction, and sentence sealed |
| Rights restored | N/A for this petition. A companion set aside restored civil and firearm rights |
| Time from application to grant | 41 days from application filing to granted |
The challenge
The client resolved a felony marijuana case in Maricopa County Superior Court by plea in 2012. He was convicted of two counts of sale or transportation of marijuana under two pounds, both Class 3 felonies. He performed so well on probation that his probation officer petitioned the court for early termination, and the court discharged him from probation early in 2013. The case was his only contact with the criminal justice system, before or since.
More than twelve years later the felony record still followed him. It appeared in background checks for employment and housing. It sat next to an otherwise clean history built on military service and steady compliance with the law. A record that old, with a history that strong, no longer said anything true about who the client was. It only kept costing him.
What we did
Future First filed a petition to seal the criminal case records under ARS § 13-911. The petition documented full compliance with every term of the sentence, the early discharge from probation, the payment of all fines and fees, and more than a decade without any new arrest or charge. It also documented the client’s honorable military service and his continued treatment through the VA.
The State reviewed the petition and took no position. The court found the offenses eligible for sealing, found the required timeframes had passed, and found sealing to be in the best interests of the client and the public. The court granted the petition, sealed all records relating to the arrest, conviction, and sentence, and directed the clerk to transmit the order to the Department of Public Safety and the prosecutor. The Maricopa felony marijuana sealing went from filing to grant in 41 days.
Future First filed a companion set aside application on the same case and won that too, with firearm rights restored and a Certificate of Second Chance. The two applications together took the record as far as Arizona law allows. That is the value of a coordinated strategy: one Maricopa felony marijuana sealing plus one set aside, filed together, resolved together.
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If you have an old conviction in Arizona
Arizona law lets you seal criminal case records under ARS § 13-911 once you complete your sentence and the waiting period passes. For a Class 3 felony the wait is ten years after you finish every term of the sentence. Sealed records come out of the databases employers, landlords, and licensing agencies search, and in most situations you can lawfully state the arrest and conviction never happened.
Old felony cases often qualify and their owners never file. If you completed probation years ago and have stayed clean, you likely already meet the timeframes. The process runs on paperwork and statutory eligibility, and a petition that documents compliance, rehabilitation, and the passage of time gives the court everything it needs to grant relief.
Related resources
Call us
Want to clear your record in Arizona? Call Future First Criminal Law at 602-900-7625 or request a free consultation. We have handled hundreds of Arizona record removal applications across every statute path. The cleanup is permanent and the process moves faster when handled by a firm that knows the local court.
Anonymized in line with firm policy. Client name not used. Specific dates approximated to year only. Outcome described reflects this client’s actual results. Past outcomes do not guarantee future results. For more detailed information on Arizona record removal law, visit the Arizona State Legislature website.
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