Hidden Dangers of Entering a Guilty Plea to Marijuana

Most criminal defendants charged with marijuana possession are aware that they are facing probation, a fine and, in some instances, a drug awareness or drug education class.  What most criminal defendants do not know is that a conviction for marijuana possession will result in a six month suspension of their driver's license for a first offense and a one year suspension on a second offense.

Moreover, a felony marijuana conviction can result in the loss of HOPE Scholarship funds.

Finally, having a marijuana conviction on your criminal history is a stigma that can make it difficult to obtain a decent job.

Options Other than a Guilty Plea

There are a number of ways to lessen the impact of such a conviction or avoid the impact altogether.  Pretrial Intervention Programs, conditional release, and or alternative/diversion sentencing for first time offenders will often allow offenders to have their records expunged.  It is extremely important to hire an attorney if you are facing a marijuana charge.