By the middle of next week, the Santa Clara County Superior Court will reduce or expunge over 11,500 backlogged marijuana conviction records for more than 9,000 people, the court said in a news release Friday.

“The Santa Clara County Superior Court is pleased to be able to order the record clearance of thousands of people today,” Presiding Judge Deborah A. Ryan said in a statement. “We hope this process will provide a sense of closure to those individuals. Having a clear record also will assist those seeking employment, an issue that is especially important as businesses begin the process of reopening.”

The State of California decriminalized the personal possession and use of recreational marijuana with the passage of Proposition 64 in November 2016