ARD Enrollment Granted for a Repeat Offender
A few months back at the Logue Law Group, we received a call from a person. It was a 35-year-old man convicted of public drunkenness. He was returning from a house party and therefore demanded a total withdrawal of the charges.
Public intoxication is a summary offense in Pennsylvania. Usually, there are no arrests in such cases. But if the cops believe that you are a danger to yourself and others, they can definitely take you into custody!
Our client, however, handled himself pretty well. According to his statement, he was just strolling down the sidewalk when the cops pulled over and threatened him with arrest. Our Pittsburgh criminal lawyers knew this was merely an ‘open and shut’ case, and extracted a successful dismissal, as well as an expungement.
However, just before his expungement, we received a call from the person again. But this time, the charges were not as innocent. He informed that he was charged with a DUI and marijuana possession! It was at this point that we realized that the case had become a little complicated. Explore this blog to find out how we helped our client walk away from this situation.
Charges & Penalties for Marijuana Possession
According to federal law, marijuana happens to be a Schedule I controlled substance. And rules dictate that possessing 30g or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor, and carries a fine of up to $500, and a month of imprisonment.
Similarly, if you are caught with possessing more than 30g of marijuana, the charge of misdemeanor remains the same. However, the penalties become harsher with fines up to $5,000 and a year’s imprisonment.
How Did We Help?
Luckily, our client was caught with just 15g of marijuana. However, he was also drunk, and therefore, unluckily, was charged with a DUI too! The situation was quite complex, and our client was on the verge of facing a one-year license suspension, followed by hefty fines and criminal convictions for drug possession. However, our knowledgeable team of Pittsburgh DUI attorneys, with their reasoning and negotiating power, churned out an extraordinary outcome, which is absolutely rare!
Why so? Because we convinced the prosecution to get our client an ARD enrolment! Now, technically speaking, the drug possession and DUI charges were the second offenses, which our client was charged with. So, ideally, he was a repeat offender, which means he had very few chances to get qualified for the ARD Program.
However, that’s where our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys excelled! With their extensive knowledge of Pennsylvania criminal codes and traffic laws, they negotiated till the last moment, and got their client an enrollment for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition Program. So, what started as a sureshot case of arrest, license suspension, and criminal record ended with a complete expungement! Our client was guaranteed expungement once he successfully completed the program!
What made our client happier was the fact that we saved him from getting a surefire criminal record, and also helped him retain his driving privileges!
That’s what we at the Logue Law Group do. No matter how big or how complex the situation gets, our Pittsburgh DUI attorneys are always ready to take up a challenge and extract the best outcome for our clients. Therefore, if you, or someone you know, is facing any trouble related to such charges, don’t hesitate to call us at 844.PITT.DUI and book a free consultation today.