Is Possession of Marijuana Under 50 grams a Serious Charge in NJ?
One of the most common charges issued in Morris County is possession of marijuana under 50 grams. Municipalities like Madison, Mount Olive, Roxbury, Denville, Dover, Rockaway, Parsippany and Morristown probably issue this charge on a daily basis. Possession of marijuana is governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(4). Most individuals are under the mistaken believe that possessing marijuana in New Jersey is not a big deal. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. Possession of marijuana under 50 grams is considered a disorderly persons offense, more commonly known as a misdemeanor. Which means, if convicted, a Defendant will be scared with not only a criminal record but is also subject to up to six months in the Morris County Jail, a fine up to $1,000, mandatory fees and assessments totaling approximately $800, up too a two year loss of their driving privileges, probation, random urine monitoring and potential mandatory drug treatment. Furthermore, most Defendant’s charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams are also usually charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, in violation of N.J.S.A. 39:4-49.1 and possession of drug paraphernalia, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2.
As you can tell from above, the penalties if convicted, can be life changing. If convicted and scared with a permanent criminal record it could be near impossible to obtain gainful employment, professional licenses, citizenship and even acceptance into your dream college. To make matters worse, possession of marijuana under 50 grams is one of two charges in New Jersey which is considered non-plea bargainable (other being driving while intoxicated). Therefore, it is extremely important to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney so that they can exploit all potential search and/or missing discovery issues that may exist in a hopes of obtaining a dismissal.
In addition, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can help a Defendant, if eligible, gain acceptance into the conditional discharge program. The Conditional Discharge Program is a program in New Jersey that allows certain Defendant’s the opportunity to participate in a diversionary program. If they complete the probationary period without issue, the pending criminal charges will be outright dismissed. That means no criminal record, no jail time and no loss of license as well.
Marijuana Possession Lawyers in Parsippany NJ
If you or a loved one has been charged with possessing marijuana in Morris County, in towns like Hanover, Washington, Butler, Pequannock, Mendham, Florham Park or Harding, the Law Office of Jonathan F. Marshall can help. Our office has eight criminal defense lawyers on staff, making our office one of the largest criminal defense firms in the State let alone Morris County. We have over 200 years of combined experience on staff, including years of prior prosecuting experience as well. If you have been charged with possessing marijuana, possessing cocaine, distributing heroin or possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute and would like to discuss your options then please contact our Morristown office directly at 973.309.7050. Our attorneys are available 24/7 to help assist in any way possible.