Drug possession laws vary from state to state and on the federal level. In California, Health and Safety Code 11377(a) makes it a crime (felony or misdemeanor) for a person who is caught owning or otherwise possessing a controlled substance such as marijuana, cocaine, meth, heroin or some other substance. Some legally prescribed medications can…
In the fall of 2013, Governor Jerry Brown signed a new bill (Assembly Bill 721) into law that modifies the definition of drug transport in California. This will have an effect on what drug crimes someone can be charged with and the possible sentencing they face. It will make it more likely that drug users…
Earlier last month, some 1,355 live marijuana plants were seized from a “grow house” in Jurupa Valley. The Press-Enterprise reports that officers from Jurupa Valley’s Special Enforcement Unit raided the residence the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 8. Apparently, they had been tipped off by suspiciously high electricity consumption at the home. Supposedly, the officers found…
Across the country, all states struggle with how to handle both prisoners and released inmates. While we all generally believe that people who committed crimes ought to atone for them, the reality is that people cannot and should not be locked up forever. That would be neither fair nor financially practical. This is an issue…
According to a recent report from Bloomberg, support is growing in California for the legalization of recreational use marijuana. Bolstered by successful ballot issues last year in Colorado and Washington, the campaign for legalizing marijuana in California has begun. It won’t be easy to get the issue on the ballot in 2014, though. The campaign…
At a city council meeting in late September, Eastvale city councilors voted 4-1 to adopt a new rental-regulation law that they hope will address the growing problem of unlawful marijuana cultivation. So far this year, 21 residences have been raided because occupants were growing marijuana. This prompted city councilors to draft a resolution that requires…
Marijuana possession in California has become a complicated situation no thanks to the Health & Safety Code 11359 law that applies to an intent to sell marijuana. While possessing less than 28.5 grams of concentrated marijuana in California is still a misdemeanor, the criminal charges for possession of non-concentrated marijuana have been reduced considerably from…
A standard probation check has landed two people in jail when it was found they were manufacturing hash in a Murrieta home. They have been booked on drug possession and felony weapons charges. On Friday, July 5, 2013, officers arrived at the home in question and caught one of the suspects attempting to escape from…
You would think that if the police come out for one purpose that they are not allowed to search your home and arrest you for other reasons. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Just ask the Lake Elsinore man under arrest by the Riverside County Sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s department was called to investigate a…
When you are charged with any crime, whether you faced jail time or not, you probably were assigned a probationary period. In Riverside County, the probation term is usually 3 to 5 years long. During this period of time, there are a number of things that can ultimately result in you facing probation violations charges….
Proposition 36 and Drug Treatment With the passage of Proposition 36 in 2000, California Courts are required to grant probation and drug treatment to any individual convicted of a “nonviolent drug possession offense” and prohibits incarceration in a county jail as a condition of probation. “Drug possession” includes the possession of illegal substances as well…
At a first glance, it seems that the common-sense answer should be “No”. However, the law is not so much concerned with who owns the drug but with who possesses it. So for example, you can be convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony for holding (i.e. possessing) someone else’s meth. You can also be…
If you or a loved one is facing criminal charges in Southwest Riverside County, time is critical. Contact the Law Office of Nic Cocis today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
