Texas has some of the harshest laws related to marijuana out there. Except for a few situations, both medicinal and recreational marijuana are illegal in the State of Texas. While possession of a very small amount of marijuana (two ounces or less) is a Class B misdemeanor, the negative ramifications it can have in your life can be immense on top of the legal penalties.
Your Charges
If you are charged with possession of less than two ounces of marijuana, it can affect your life in surprisingly negative ways, including the following:
A marijuana possession charge can reduce your standing in society and in your circle of friends.
A marijuana possession charge can impact your ability to change jobs, advance your career, or even keep your current job (employers and potential employers can look up arrest records).
A marijuana possession charge can affect your ability to rent an apartment or home (landlords can also lookup information related to arrests).
A marijuana possession charge can cause you to lose your professional licensure.
Any of these adverse outcomes can haunt you into the future.
Your Legal Options
If you face marijuana possession charges, an experienced criminal attorney will discuss your potential options for avoiding a conviction that ends up on your permanent record. A prime example is a pretrial diversion program that allows charges to be disposed of outside of court – often through a treatment program and other requirements. There is also the potential for deferred adjudication, which refers to a type of probation that allows the charges brought against you to be dropped upon successful completion of the probation’s requirements. With each of these options, there is the potential to seal your record from public view.
Case in Point
By way of an interesting example, consider the case of a WACO school superintendent pulled over for a traffic stop and arrested on possession charges (of less than two ounces) back in March. While the school board pondered the fate of the superintendent, he ultimately resigned from his position. The man entered a plea bargain in which the charge would be dropped after the completion of a 90-day diversion program. In other words, information that the superintendent could have kept under his hat made its way into the public consciousness due to his position. Possession charges can be very complicated, and working closely with an experienced Killeen criminal attorney is always in your best interest.
Do Not Delay Consulting with an Experienced Killeen Criminal Attorney
If you are facing marijuana possession charges, you need the skilled legal guidance of Brett Pritchard at the Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Killeen, Texas, on your side. Mr. Pritchard is a dedicated criminal attorney who is committed to aggressively advocating for your rights and a case outcome that protects your best interests. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at (254) 781-4222 today.