Not only will the federal government be waging a war against you for a St. Augustine marijuana possession. Florida will also wage a war against you. At this point Florida has not legalized marijuana. Even if marijuana is legalized for medical purposes it will have restrictions. Florida has laws in place to suspend your driver’s license for two years if adjudicated guilty for a drug offense including misdemeanor possession of marijuana. When you combine the federal and state sanctions for a St. Johns County possession of marijuana case your ability to drive, go to school with federal financial aid, receive housing assistance all depend on the result of your case. That is for a misdemeanor St. Augustine possession of marijuana.
A withhold of adjudication will save you from some of the state sanctions but not the federal restrictions on student loans and housing assistance. If you are not a United States citizen being caught once with over 30 grams of marijuana or twice of any amount can classify you as an aggravated felon. As an aggravated felon you would be subject to deportation. Conviction of a felony drug possession can eliminate your right to vote and right to possess a firearm.
Our St. Augustine possession of marijuana attorneys have a background arguing both sides of the law. Our attorneys are former prosecutors and defense attorneys who have cut their teeth working for the government gaining the skills to fight for you in private practice. They understand that when the prosecutor feels they might not be able to prove the case they will be more likely to negotiate a favorable resolution. An illegal stop can cause major problems for the prosecution. If the accused is held for longer than necessary the search might not be valid. If the stop and search is valid the state must prove dominion and control and knowledge. These arguments are fact specific but depending on the location of the drugs, ownership of the vehicle and parties in the car they could create issues to litigate in your case. The drugs must be properly tested and in some cases weight can be an issue. This creates numerous areas to challenge in a St. Johns County marijuana possession case. If your case is dismissed or diverted the federal and state actions against your rights and privileges will be avoided. Your driver’s license will be protected, your eligibility for student aid and housing assistance will be maintained and a criminal record would be avoided.
Our St. Augustine criminal defense attorneys can keep you out of court while challenging the evidence against you. Our attorneys handle cases from St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Butler Beach, Fruit Cove, Palm Valley, Sawgrass and the surrounding areas in St. Johns County. Call (904) 494-8584 today for a free confidential consultation.