When it comes to Connecticut marijuana infraction tickets and the way the court system punishes people for simple pot possession, I wonder if State lawmakers were smoking something themselves when they passed these new marijuana laws. Sure, while possessing a small amount of marijuana / pot / weed, or possessing the paraphernalia used to ingest it is no longer a crime under 21a-279a or 21a-267(d), what State lawmakers won’t tell you is that this $50 pay-by-mail infraction ticket is a proverbial scarlet letter when it comes to background checks.
But have hope—these marijuana possession guilty pleas in Stamford, Greenwich and other Connecticut towns can sometimes get reversed and removed off your permanent record. Here’s how…
Many of the top Greenwich and Stamford Connecticut criminal lawyers attorneys saw the decriminalization of marijuana as bittersweet. On the one hand, it was no longer a crime in Connecticut to possess less than one-half ounce of marijuana under C.G.S. 21a-279a. Note, however, that it is still illegal and considered by Connecticut state law as an infraction, punishable by a monetary fine. For a majority of Connecticut people given tickets for possession under 21a-279a or paraphernalia under 21a-276(d) in New Canaan, Stamford, Darien, and Greenwich, the fine is not really the problem. Rather, it is the fact that the Connecticut marijuana possession conviction or paraphernalia conviction—even though they are only infractions—don’t come off your criminal record. They show up on every background check.
Today’s job market is competitive enough, and some employers don’t want pot smokers or marijuana users working with their money or supervising their employees, especially if the job involves automobiles, trains, planes, or children. Similarly, in any auto or life insurance background check—which usually digs deep into a person’s infraction, motor vehicle and criminal records—an insurance carrier can either decline coverage or jack up premiums for a convicted marijuana user.
Looking at it that way, some of the top Greenwich and Stamford criminal attorneys and lawyers are now scratching their heads. Just maybe the old laws weren’t so bad after all. Under the old laws, while possessing marijuana was a crime, you could take some drug classes and get the marijuana possession charge completely dismissed, erased and expunged off your Connecticut criminal record and background check. Not so bad.
Now, however, it’s not that easy. As a result, we are getting calls from disgruntled Connecticut citizens who were charged with a 21a-279a marijuana possession ticket in Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Ridgefield, Greenwich or Wilton, paid and mailed the modest fine, and now are finding out that their potential employers, insurers, and landlords are denying them huge opportunities because of an old marijuana and pot pay-by-mail ticket.
So can you really reverse your possession of marijuana guilty plea? Yes, in certain circumstances and with a criminal lawyer who knows how to vacate a marijuana possession plea. Since the new marijuana laws were passed several years ago, the team of criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law have routinely reversed, or “vacated” marijuana infraction guilty plea tickets. Once the guilty plea is reversed to a not guilty plea, the Stamford-based Mark Sherman Law marijuana attorneys will then fight the underlying marijuana possession / drug paraphernalia ticket with the sole goal of getting the ticket dismissed.
There are many factors that need to be considered in getting a 21a-279a marijuana possession conviction reversed. The date of the conviction is critical. The sooner you decide to have your top Stamford criminal lawyer file motion papers to reverse the conviction, the better your chances are for success. Motions to reverse marijuana infraction pleas filed after the 4 month anniversary of the date you send in your guilty plea to a Connecticut marijuana infraction are particularly challenging. So start the reversal process early.
Additionally, the reasons for making the motion are critical to the motion’s success. The Mark Sherman Law Firm has often relied upon technical constitutional due process arguments in moving to reverse marijuana possession guilty pleas, as well as reversing Stamford speeding ticket guilty pleas made by mail for 14-219 Speeding tickets and Darien, Stamford or Greenwich 14-218a Traveling Unreasonably Fast tickets. Finally, your personal and professional histories come into the court’s consideration, and are an integral component of the motion papers and briefs submitted to the Superior Court judge.
There’s no bright line answer here. The chances of success depends on the individual facts and procedural history of each case. What the Stamford Possession of Marijuana lawyers at Mark Sherman can promise you is that we will give you an honest assessment of your chances of success, as well as a fixed price for our services (with no hidden fees or costs). While we can’t always guarantee what a judge will decide when asked to vacate or reverse a Stamford Connecticut marijuana possession guilty plea, we can give you a percentage probability of your chances for success. Our goal is results. If we do not have a chance at winning, then we will not take your case.
So if you have pled guilty by mail to a 21a-279a Possession of Marijuana ticket in Stamford, Westport, New Canaan, Darien or Greenwich, and want to find out if and how you can reverse your guilty pleas to these Connecticut marijuana or speeding tickets, then call a Mark Sherman Law criminal attorney right away. Timing is critical to your chances of successfully reversing your Connecticut marijuana or speeding ticket. Don’t wait any longer. Call us today at (203) 358-4700 for a consultation.
