Woodbridge Township Marijuana Lawyer

You cannot fall into the trap of thinking that penalties will be suspended just because your CDS case involves marijuana instead of a more serious street drug. It really makes no difference in the eyes of the law must be applied as written whether you or anyone else likes it or not. Give us a call to learn whether you are eligible for Pretrial Intervention, Conditional Discharge, or there are other defenses that apply. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling marijuana offenses and include several former prosecutors. An attorney is available immediately for a free consultation in our Woodbridge Office by calling 732-634-0700.

Woodbridge Marijuana Distribution Charge

The State punishes those who distribute marijuana much more severely than those who possess the drug for personal use. The severity of the offense, as it is with most controlled dangerous substance charges, is directly related to the quantity found to have been distributed or possessed with intent to distribute by the accused at the time of the arrest.  It is a first degree crime for any person to possess with intent to distribute either 25 pounds of marijuana, 50 marijuana plants, or hashish in a quantity of more than 5 pounds.  It is a second degree crime for a person to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 pounds, but less than 25 pounds of marijuana, 10 or more but less than 50 marijuana plants or more than 1 pound of hashish but less than 5 pounds of hashish.  It is a third degree offense for a person to possess with intent to distribute more than 1 ounce but less than 5 pounds of marijuana or 5 grams of hashish but less than 1 pound.  It is a fourth degree distribution charge where either the quantity of marijuana is less than 1 ounce or the amount of hashish is less than 5 grams.

Marijuana Possession Offense in Woodbridge

For the first degree crime, the punishment associated with the offense is imprisonment for between 10 and 20 years, as well as a fine of up to $300,000.  This is assuming, moreover, with this quantity that you are not also charged with something else, like distribution in a school zone or leader of a narcotics trafficking network.  A second degree offense carries with it the possibility of incarceration for between 5 and 10 years, as well as fines of up to $150,000.  The third degree offense carries with it the possibility of imprisonment for between 3 and 5 years, as well fines totalling up to as much as $25,000.  A fourth degree crime carries with it the possibility of incarceration for up to 18 months, as well as fines totalling up to $10,000.

For strictly possession charges where there is no intent to distribute, meaning the marijuana is strictly for personal consumption, the crime is still related to the quantity that is possessed.  Where the accused possesses more than 50 grams of marijuana or more than 5 grams of hashish, the crime committed is a fourth degree offense.  As stated above, this means that the accused could be subjected to up to 18 months of incarceration and fines totalling up to $25,000.  Where the accused possesses less than 50 grams of marijuana or 5 or less grams of hashish, the accused is guilty of a disorderly persons offense.  While rarely resulting in incarceration, disorderly persons offenses are still subject to fines and, often, the loss of driving privileges in our State.