New Jersey works hard to combat drug the use, possession, and sale of illegal drugs throughout the state. Although some states are reforming marijuana laws to the point where the drug may even be legal for recreational use, the possession of marijuana is still a serious offense in New Jersey. In fact, the state has a mandatory minimum sentence that offenders will face if convicted of some marijuana charges. Therefore, it is crucial that any person charged with marijuana-related crimes retains the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Any person who is found to have 50 grams or less of marijuana in their possession will face a disorderly person’s offense. They face up to 6 months of jail time and a maximum fine of $1,000. If a person has more than 50 grams of marijuana in their possession, they will be charged with a crime, face up to 18 months in jail, and a potential fine of up to $25,000. If your arrest for the possession of any amount of marijuana takes place within 1,000 feet of a school, you will also be required to serve 100 hours of community service and pay another fee. New Jersey also punishes those who are found to have marijuana paraphernalia in their possession as well with a disorderly person’s offense as well as 6 months of incarceration and a maximum fine of $1,000.
One of the reasons that you should absolutely retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney is because they can work towards trying to obtain conditional release. This would allow the offender to simply be put on probation if and not go through trial. If the probationary period is completed without any issues, the person will not have the charge on their criminal record. Conditional release is only an option if this is the person’s first criminal charge. If you have been charged with possession of marijuana in New Jersey, contact our firm and we would be happy to assist you.
The law firm of Mattleman, Weinroth & Miller, P.C., is composed of experienced personal injury attorneys throughout the states of New Jersey and Delaware. Please contact the office for a free initial consultation and get any questions answered regarding your specific case.