Women Arrested for Peacefully Demonstrating Legalization of Marijuana
Charge DROPPED!The Charges
An individual walked into a Police substation and browsed through brochures. She selected a free informational pamphlet on peaceful demonstrations. The individual then pulled a bag of marijuana out of her purse and set it on the front desk of the Police substation. The Defendant told the officer stationed at the front desk that she believed marijuana should be legalized and she just submitted her contribution to a peaceful demonstration. An Officer followed the demonstrator out the door and arrested her on Possession of Marijuana charges.
Deferred Prosecution Programs
In Florida, a deferred prosecution program is an alternative to stay out of jail while working on the issue that the offender was charged with. A deferred prosecution program is typically only for first-time misdemeanor offenders. The offenders may have been charged with possession of marijuana, underage possession of alcohol, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, affray, assault, simple battery, or disorderly intoxication. These programs have specific requirements in order to complete them successfully. Once these requirements are completed, the charges will be dropped and work can be done to expunge the charges from your record. The programs may be completed in as little as a few months, but could also take as long as a year to complete.
The agreement of a deferred prosecution program typically states that the offender will not have any new charges added to their record while completing the program. They also will agree to pay all court costs, pay restitution fees if there is any, and make a donation to a charity. They will also be required to do a specific amount of community service and attend a counseling program. Any treatment that is recommended will need to be completed. All costs will be paid for by the offender.
If one fails to complete the required agreement terms in the specified time or breaks one of the conditions, they take the chance of having the agreement revoked. If this happens, the prosecution will then re-initiate the initial charges.
Obtaining Lawyer Services
If you or a loved one has been charged with possession of marijuana, legal services will be needed to defend your rights. Contact Musca Law Firm today in order to benefit from the legal services of one of our experienced attorneys who is waiting to represent you. Our firm has over 150 years of combined experience. We often work together to build a strong defense for your case. We will negotiate with the prosecution and work to have your charges lowered or completely dropped. In specific cases, we can work with the prosecution in order for you to attend a deferred program so that you have the opportunity to have your charges completely removed from your record once the program is completed. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. We pride ourselves on answering our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
RESULT: The Defense Attorney arranged for the Client to participate in a Deferred Prosecution Program and she avoided the Court system. The State DROPPED the Possession of Marijuana charge against the Client.