Potential Penalties of a Marijuana Possession Conviction
Increasingly throughout the United States marijuana possession and consumption is becoming legal. Many states allow marijuana possession for medicinal purposes. Other states treat it as a simple violation akin to a traffic violation. There are even two states (as of the date of this post), Colorado and Washington, that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Despite the current trend of increased freedom of marijuana use, Utah law staunchly prohibits its use. Currently, simple possession of marijuana is a class B misdemeanor, punishable by six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. It seems unlikely that these penalties will change in the immediate future. In addition to a fine and possible jail time, other penalties include a substance abuse evaluation, substance abuse treatment, and community service. Criminal Defense Lawyers in Provo can help those charged with marijuana possession avoid the harshest penalties of a conviction.
Utah Law Imposes Suspensions for Possession Convictions
One penalty of a marijuana conviction that a judge or prosecutor will not tell a defendant he or she faces as a result of a conviction is the suspension of one’s driver’s license. Utah Code 53-3-220(1)(c) states that the Utah Driver’s License Division shall immediately suspend someone’s license for six months upon receiving a record of a conviction for marijuana possession.
Although marijuana conviction results in a suspension of one’s license for six months, Criminal Defense Lawyers in Provo can sometimes successfully keep the court from sending a record of a marijuana conviction to the Utah Driver’s License Division. Additionally, there are ways to negotiate with a prosecutor to keep a conviction from actually being entered onto one’s criminal history. Each person’s case is different so its important for those facing marijuana charges to hire a Provo Criminal Defense Lawyer before going to court on a drug charge.
Contact a Marijuana Drug Lawyer Today
If you are facing marijuana drug charges in Utah County, Wasatch County, or the surrounding counties in Utah, contact a Provo Criminal Defense Lawyer today. Our lawyers will help you through the marijuana drug charge process and will do everything we can to help you keep your driver’s license. Call 801.800.8246 to speak with a lawyer today.
