Do You Know What To Do If Your Are Charged With Marijuana Possession

By Gary Hall

If you have been arrested for marijuana possession chances are there are many questions you have. One of the biggest things you may be wondering is what a good criminal defense for this is. The truth is that there are many different things that affect the possession charge and by knowing them you can have a better understanding of what you are in for.

The first thing you should know is what classifies possession. Now you should keep in mind that this is subject to not only the state you live in, but also the county or township and may be even further defined by the city. Generally it refers to knowingly having marijuana on your person, in your backpack or purse, in your vehicle or in your home. You may even be charged with possession if you have paraphernalia in your possession that has marijuana in it.

With this it is also important to note that it can be considered a misdemeanor or felony and there are several different factors that will determine that. Some of these factors include your age, your previous criminal history, whether you were on school grounds, the amount you have on you and any whether you also had paraphernalia.

Another thing you should keep in mind is just because you get charged with possession does not mean that this is the only charge they will give you. You can get multiple charges all relating to the same incidence, including intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia and even DUI. Depending on where you live, if you have drugs on you and have innocent items, such as a bat, you may even be charged with a weapons charge.

If you are convicted of marijuana possession you can expect to see a variety of different punishments. Again, much of this is dependent on whether or not you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony charge and the other charges that they add to the case. For felony cases, you may have to do time in prison. For first time offenders, you may be put on probation and made to go to drug rehab, both of which can mean expensive fees on your behalf. There are many different outcomes which is why it is important to have a lawyer on your side that can help you get the best outcome for the case.

There are many different ways that a defense attorney can go about fighting your case for you. One of the ways they can do this is by trying to prove that you were not aware that this was on you. The problem is that there are only certain ways that this can work in your favor, specifically if you were not under the influence of marijuana and did not admit to knowing or having the drugs. They can also examine your case to see if there is some sort of loophole that you may be able to fit into to have the case dropped.

Due to the intricacies of the laws in each area, it is important to have someone who can look at your case and know the best course of action. A marijuana possession conviction is something that will stay with you throughout your life and can affect your ability to get certain student loans and even jobs. This is why you need a good defense lawyer to fight for you. One of the easiest ways to find a good attorney that services your area is by going online. For instance, if I lived in Massachusetts, I may search for “Controlled Substance Lawyer Massachusetts”. Or, you may even want to refine the search by city. Keep in mind though that some of the best attorneys will service your entire state and it may be worth looking beyond your city.