Election Day Not All Bad: California Voters reduce many felonies to misdemeanors

In a bright spot from a forboding election day (at least for progressives), California Voters, with their sunny dispositions,passed Proposition 47 which, fully retroactive, will reduce through affirmative petition many qualifying non-violent first offense state felonies to misdemeanors, including possessory drug offenses. See League of Women Voters description.

This representsa hallmark in a movement to ameliorate the collateralprofessional and immigration consequences of past conduct, and hopefully it,signals national trend, as California policy often does.For those of us handling for clients with California Felony priors being used for sentencing enhancement, immigration or other purposes, this represents a glimmer of hope.