Drug Charges

New Jersey law explicitly requires that any person who is knowingly in possession of controlled dangerous substances voluntarily turn them over to police.

This means that if you are stopped for speeding and have a joint, a single pill of ecstasy, or a small amount of cocaine in the car, you can be charged with Failure to Make a Lawful Disposition if it is found.

Failure to voluntarily turn over controlled dangerous substances is a disorderly persons offense carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, and this charge is likely to be added on to other charges like possession or distribution.

You will have a criminal record if convicted, which means that even being caught with a small amount of drugs can follow you around for years.

Attorney Matthew Reisig defends people all over New Jersey who are facing drug crimes.

Call 732-625-9661 today to talk to an experienced criminal defense attorney who can protect your rights and help defend your future.

If you are arrested on the suspicion of being high on marijuana, cocaine, prescription drugs being used recreationally, or other controlled dangerous substances (CDS), you are at risk for penalties that will disrupt your life significantly.

For most people, the threat of a license suspension of up to two years is enough to make the situation feel very real.

On top of that, you’ll face fines of up to $1,000, as well as court costs and monetary assessments.

In addition, the prosecution doesn’t have to prove you were intoxicated by a particular substance, merely that you were displaying the signs of intoxication by a CDS.

It’s a low bar to meet, and to protect yourself, you need an experienced lawyer who can counter the prosecution’s allegations and provide an alternative view.

If you’ve been arrested for being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance in New Jersey, call attorney Matthew Reisig at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation today.

Constructive possession is a legal theory that states that even though you were not, at the time of your arrest, in possession of drugs, that you knew where the drugs were and intended to be in control of them in the future.

One common situation where this charge is applied is when a car is stopped for speeding and the police ask if they can search the vehicle.

The driver consents, and while patting down the passenger, the police discover drugs in the passenger’s pocket.

The allegation will be that you, the driver, knew that your friend, the passenger, had drugs, and you were likely going somewhere to use them.

It is possible to build a case that demonstrates persuasively that this isn’t true.

The important thing is to make a case based on evidence, and work from there.

If a prosecutor is facing a strong defense and there are no other charges against you, this level of work can result in the possession charge being dropped entirely.

Work with an attorney who knows how to build the right kind of case, and push back at prosecutors who are proceeding from theories, not evidence.

Call attorney Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9661 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney.

Possession of drug paraphernalia in New Jersey is a disorderly persons offense, known in other states as a misdemeanor.

While many people interpret that to mean that conviction isn’t serious, the opposite is true.

Conviction of a disorderly persons offense in New Jersey can carry penalties of up to six months in jail, a driver’s license suspension of up to two years, and fines.

You’ll also have a criminal record, which can limit opportunities for student loans, college enrollment, housing, and jobs.

Any time you’re charged with a crime in New Jersey, you owe it to yourself to get good legal guidance that you can trust.

Prosecutors can play hardball and tell you whatever they like, but the truth is that you can fight back against drug charges, and you can win.

Attorney Matthew Reisig represents people all over the state who are fighting drug charges that can derail their lives.

Call 732-625-9661 and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.

If you were caught in possession of a very small amount of marijuana, or in possession of paraphernalia, your case will likely be heard in your local Municipal Court.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Municipal Court can’t levy significant penalties on you though.

If you are convicted of drug charges, you will face fines of up to $1,000, loss of driving privileges for up to two years, and as much as six months in jail.

You’ll also have a criminal record that can exclude you from jobs, educational opportunities, and housing.

If this is your first arrest for possession, you may be eligible for a Conditional Discharge.

If the court agrees to this diversionary program, you’ll be placed on probation for six months or a year, during which time you will be required to stay out of trouble, not be arrested again, and meet the terms of your probation.

At the end of the probation period, your charges will be dismissed with no criminal record, and you will be eligible to expunge your arrest record after six months.

New Jersey takes drug charges very seriously, even at the Municipal Court level, but it also understands that incarceration for first offenders and for minor amounts of marijuana isn’t always in the best interest of the state.

Attorney Matthew Reisig defends clients against drug charges in all New Jersey courts, and can help protect your rights when facing Municipal Court charges.

Call 732-625-9661 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey drug defense attorney.

Police and prosecutors will often use the quantity of drugs discovered, or how it is packaged, to make a determination on whether the drugs were intended for personal use or for sale.

Because sales of drugs in New Jersey are a much more serious legal matter than personal use amounts, it’s important that you work with experienced criminal defense attorneys who can provide you with the best strategies for your situation.

Ultimately, cases where a defendant claims personal use and the prosecution claims distribution come down to evidence, and it’s important that your attorneys can build an evidence-based case that you are not a drug dealer.

There are ways to prove to a jury that your drug habit is personal and not commercial in nature, and it is possible to get prosecutors to back down when they believe their case is falling apart. Attorney Matthew Reisig has helped clients beat drug charges all over New Jersey.

Call 732-625-9661 today for a free consultation.