Marijuana

Marijuana Defense Attorneys in Newport Beach

Marijuana has not been Legalized at the Federal Level

“Medical marijuana” is legal at the state level in California. In addition, movies and TV have been portraying its recreational use as no big deal for years. As a result, it is easy to forget that marijuana has not been legalized at the federal level and that you can still be prosecuted for selling or possessing marijuana even if you are following state law to the letter.

In other words, despite adhering to state laws, you may still be faced with any of the following marijuana-related charges including:

• Cultivation
• Distribution
• Possession, including possession for sale
• Sale
• Transportation
• Use

Marijuana charges can be made at either the misdemeanor or felony level, depending on the circumstances. Regardless of the level of your charge, having a conviction on your record can lead to negative consequences that have the potential to affect you for the rest of your life.

Contact Our Office as Soon as You Have Been Charged

Dispensaries and users who are operating legally according to state law make more obvious and easy targets than many individuals who are cultivating and using illegally. Ironically, then, the risk of being charged with a federal crime may increase if you are abiding by state law. The federal government has recently announced that it will prioritize the pursuit of high-level drug traffickers over the prosecution of users abiding by state law. However, this is not a guarantee that you will not be prosecuted.
In addition, law enforcement sometimes uses unscrupulous or unreliable techniques, including:

• Defective search warrants
• Failure to inform of Miranda rights
• Unreliable informants
• Other inappropriate search and seizure tactics

An experienced defense attorney will attempt to fully understand the circumstances of your arrest. This is why it is vital that you contact our office as soon as you have been charged with any marijuana-related crime, even if you were acting within the bounds of state law. Once we know the background of your case, we will attempt to identify law enforcement or prosecutorial errors. Our goal is to approach your defense from a position of strength. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that anyone but your defense attorney has your best interests at heart. Call our Newport Beach office for a free consultation today.