O.C.G.A. 16-13-2 defines the penalties for the commonly charged offense of Possession of
Less Than An Ounce of
Marijuana. O.C.G.A. 16-13-2 (b) states in essence that any person charged with possession
of marijuana, of one ounce or less, shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and punished by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 12 months or a
fine not to exceed $1,000.00, or BOTH, or public works, not in excess
of 12 months. Not only can a conviction for Possession of Less Than an
Ounce of Marijuana result in confinement, but it can also impact secondary areas.
Many people are not aware that a guilty conviction for Possession of Less
Than An Ounce of Marijuana will also impact your Georgia Driver's
license. A conviction for Possession of Less Than An Ounce of Marijuana
can result in a suspension of your driver's license even if you are
not operating a vehicle at the time of the arrest. Even for a first time
offense, your driver's license could be suspended for 180 days. Additionally,
you could be required to attend a drug and alcohol education class.
Fortunately, depending on the facts of your arrest, there may be defenses to your charge of Possession of Less Than An Ounce of Marijuana and several ways to plead to avoid a criminal conviction on your record or impact your driving privileges. If you've been arrested for Possession of Marijuana, call the Law Office of Robert L. Booker. We will thoroughly review the facts of your case, and provide you will all available options under the law.