Most drug cases in Riverside County stay in state court. The ones that don’t — the ones that become federal drug trafficking charges — are a different and far more dangerous proposition, because federal law runs on mandatory minimum sentences a judge cannot go below, federal time is served at about 85 percent with no…
When California legalized recreational marijuana, it did something many people still do not realize: it reached backward. If you carry an old marijuana conviction from a case in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Canyon Lake, or French Valley, there is a real chance it can now be reduced, dismissed, or sealed. Proposition 64…
For property owners, residents, and small-business operators in Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Canyon Lake, and French Valley, the common assumption that Proposition 64 made marijuana legal in California is partially true and largely misleading. Prop 64 legalized personal recreational use within narrow limits — possession of up to 28.5 grams of flower,…
Drug crimes are very prevalent in California because the Legislature decided to pursue these activities as crimes instead of medical conditions that require serious intervention and addiction counseling. If you have been arrested, the difference between rehab and a prison cell could very well be the attorney that you choose to represent you. If you…
Using Medical Marijuana is legal in a few states. Some people can legally possess certain amounts of marijuana under California law, but those distribute may face various criminal charges. Many members of the medical community believe that the drug should be available to patients because it has health benefits. Details about how it is beneficial…
Believe it or not, marijuana was once a mandatory crop in America. It’s true! According to a PBS Frontline report, the colony of Virginia demanded that every local farmer grow a form of cannabis called hemp. The sturdy plant was used to make canvas, rope and other useful materials. At the time, hemp was very…
A traffic stop turned into something much larger in Murrieta earlier this week. Murrieta Police said they pulled a “large moving truck” over at the intersection of Menifee Road and Poinsettia Street around 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 1. A canine unit detected narcotics, and officers searched the truck and found fertilizer, soil, marijuana plants, marijuana…
Marijuana use for medical purposes became legal in California in 1996, with various limitations for use, possession and cultivation. Since then, legislators throughout the state have been seeking to further regulate medical marijuana and impose additional limitations on the industry; for instance, different jurisdictions have enacted tighter restrictions on marijuana sales for medical purposes. One…
With Colorado working through all of the complications of legalized marijuana and Washington State up next with legal pot stores pending, some media reports suggests that Alaska may be the next frontier for reforming laws concerning marijuana possession. According to Fox News, a local activist group has gathered 45,000 signatures for a ballot initiative to…
A Supreme Court case involving anonymous tips and traffic stops highlights the possible ways in which people’s constitutional rights may be violated. Although in this case the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the State of California (and its law enforcement officers), their ruling still leaves important questions unanswered. In Navarette vs. California, the Supreme…
The degree to which California has decriminalized marijuana has had many effects, but one of them is that it has made marijuana dispensaries an appealing target for robberies. Would-be thieves think these businesses are ripe for the plucking because they assume they have large amounts of cash and marijuana. Recently, a San Bernardino marijuana dispensary…
A Moreno Valley man was arrested in early January after police allegedly found weapons and dozens of pounds of marijuana in his residence. According to the Press-Enterprise, the 29-year-old man was arrested Jan. 9 after authorities raided his residence and found 53 pounds of marijuana, sawed-off shotguns, two pistols and paraphernalia to make “concentrated marijuana,”…
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.
