Violating marijuana laws in New Jersey may result in substantial penalties depending on the scale of the charge. The state relies on strict drug laws to prosecute defendants for charges such as the possession, distribution and growing of marijuana. If you have been charged with possession or any other marijuana-related crimes in the state of New Jersey, you should strengthen your case with the assistance of an experienced law firm serving Little Egg Harbor. NJ criminal defense attorneys will fight to defend your rights and fight marijuana-related charges.
Marijuana is a Controlled Dangerous Substance according to NJ, which means that the penalties can be severe. Fewer than 50 grams is a disorderly persons offense, but a larger amount may warrant felony charges.
If you get arrested for owning marijuana (this can be fewer than 50 grams), charges often go beyond further than possession. The state will sometimes pursue charges for the intent to distribute, which is treated the equivalent of being arrested in the act of actually distributing pot. Distribution and the intent to sell carry much more intense penalties than possession. You need to build a strong legal strategy with an experienced Little Egg Harbor, NJ marijuana law firm to make sure your charges do not become more than just possession.
With experience fighting drug charges as a criminal defense lawyer and defending drug charges as a former prosecutor, Carmine Villani, Esq. will assist you with your marijuana possession or distribution charges. The law firm of Villani & DeLuca began in 1996 to help people charged with crimes like marijuana possession.
{Your pot charges hinge on how much marijuana you had on you, where your arrest happened and what law enforcement believes you were trying to do with the illegal drugs in your possession.|Marijuana charges may be severe or relatively insignificant depending on the geography of your arrest, the amount of marijuana and if the arresting officer and the prosecutor believes your intentions were (intent to sell or recreational use).
Marijuana possession in New Jersey of less than 50 grams can be sentenced with jail terms of up to six months and fines that may be as much as $1,000. However, the penalty can be as high as 18 months in jail with a maximum fine of $25,000, when the total amount of marijuana exceeds 50 grams.
Marijuana distribution may be a felony, but fines and punishments depend on a variety of factors. For example, a charge in the fourth degree (less than one ounce) can lead to a maximum fine of 10 grand and a jail sentence of up to a year and a half, while a first degree charge can require a maximum sentence of twenty years and a max fine of $300,000.
A protected zone is public property like town-operated buildings and vehicles and public parks. A punishment is heightened if the arrest took place in a protected zone in NJ. Hire a New Jersey criminal defense attorney if you were arrested and charged with marijuana possession or distribution in a Little Egg Harbor protected zone.
NJ does have a medical marijuana program, but it is very limited in the sense that few people qualify for it. If you are permitted to use medical by another state, for instance, which does not necessarily entitle you to medical marijuana use in NJ. The medical marijuana laws of New Jersey tend to be more strict than similar medical marijuana programs around the country. Only serious conditions may lead to medical marijuana exemptions.
Have you been charged with possession of marijuana or intent to sell in Little Egg Harbor, NJ? Ask New Jersey marijuana attorneys for legal assistance with a free consultation by calling Villani & DeLuca at (732) 965-3350.
