Princeton School Zone Marijuana Offenses Lawyers
School Zone Offenses
A few years ago, New Jersey lawmakers have toughened penalties for marijuana offenses in school zones and anyone arrested within 1,000 feet of a school faces mandatory prison sentences, fines and other criminal penalties. People charged with marijuana school zone offenses need aggressive legal representation to prevent a conviction from severely limiting their lives long after their time is served and the fines are paid. As the old saying goes, the best defense is a good offense, and the Princeton marijuana crimes defense attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein has been consistently building effective cases for clients for nearly 20 years.
New Jersey school zone offenses are governed by N.J.S.A. 2C:35-7 Distribution on or within 1,000 feet of school property, which states:
"Any person who violates subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:35-5 by distributing, dispensing or possessing with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance or controlled substance analog while on any school property used for school purposes which is owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board, or within 1,000 feet of such school property or a school bus, or while on any school bus, is guilty of a crime of the third degree and shall, except as provided in N.J.S.2C:35-12, be sentenced by the court to a term of imprisonment. Where the violation involves less than one ounce of marijuana, the term of imprisonment shall include the imposition of a minimum term which shall be fixed at, or between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed, or one year, whichever is greater, during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole. In all other cases, the term of imprisonment shall include the imposition of a minimum term which shall be fixed at, or between, one-third and one-half of the sentence imposed, or three years, whichever is greater, during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:43-3, a fine of up to $150,000.00 may also be imposed upon any conviction for a violation of this section."
In short, a conviction on marijuana charges within 1,000 feet of a school in New Jersey means that the life of the accused will never be the same again. Our experienced Princeton NJ marijuana defense lawyers at Lependorf & Silverstein know the severity of school zone offenses very well and work hard to provide the best possible outcome for clients. If you or a loved one is facing drug charges within a school zone and needs trusted legal counsel, contact us today to get our resources, skills and experience on your side.