Marijuana laws in New Jersey are rigid and may result in a number of penalties and punishments. Possession and distribution consequences differ in severity, but both types of pot charges require the assistance of a lawyer. Make sure you have a strong defense by hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney in Howell, New Jersey. NJ pot attorneys will work to protect your freedoms and protest marijuana-related charges.
NJ considers marijuana a Schedule 1 Controlled Dangerous Substance. If you have control of over 50 grams of pot on your person when you are arrested, it will lead to felony charges.
If you are arrested in owning marijuana (this can be less than 50 grams), charges will frequently extend further than simple possession. Even if you were not arrested in the process of selling marijuana, you can be charged with the intent to distribute, which is just as forbidding. Distribution and the intent to distribute create much harsher consequences than possession. You need to build a strong defense with an experienced Howell, New Jersey marijuana law firm to defend your case.
The lawyers of Villani & DeLuca have been disputing marijuana-related charges in New Jersey since opening its doors in 1996. Carmine Villani, Esq. is a marijuana defense lawyer with a history in the defense of people who have to deal with accusations of drug charges. He has also served as municipal prosecutor and public defender in New Jersey, giving him a unique advantage when fighting criminal allegations.
{The seriousness of the charges that may be filed you in New Jersey vary depending on the specifics of your individual case, including the weight of the marijuana discovered on your person, the location of your arrest and the intent perceived by police and the state.|Were you taken into custody for a large quantity of marijuana in your possession? Based on the circumstances surrounding your arrest
Your marijuana possession charges in New Jersey can placeyou in prison for six months with a $1,000 fine, even when the amount of marijuana is fewer than 50 grams. In New Jersey, possession of more than 50 grams of marijuana will terminate in an 18-month jail sentence and a maximum fine of $25,000.
Penalties for distribution charges are typically more extensive than consequences for basic possession would be in New Jersey. Distribution of just one ounce of weed or less will earn a max jail term of 18 months and a fine as expensive as $10,000 for a guilty plea. A verdict that leads to your conviction for selling in the first degree, you might end up in prison for as long as twenty years with a max fine of $300,000.
All marijuana-related accusations will be enhanced if the crime takes place in a location designated by New Jersey laws as a protected zone. Protected zones are in or near school zones as well as public parks. A school zone actually extends 1,000 feet from designated buildings owned by the school district. It can be the middle of summer for a protected zone penalty to affect your charges. If you are arrested in a school zone and charged with distribution or the intent to distribute, a prison sentence of at least three years without parole can apply. There are allowances to this policy, however, a qualified NJ defense attorney can claim that the mandatory minimum sentence is not applicable.
If you were allowed by the state of NJ to participate in medical marijuana, you may be excused from certain possession charges. However, New Jersey does not recognize defendants who have been allowed to use medical marijuana by other states. Only grim health conditions or a mortal illness will be accepted as a medical marijuana exemption in NJ.
Have you been charged with marijuana possession or distribution in Howell, NJ? Ask NJ marijuana attorneys for legal assistance with a free consultation by calling Villani & DeLuca at (732) 965-3350.
