Strong Defenses To The Possession Of CDS NJ While Driving

By Stephanie Russell


In New Jersey, the state government has outlined the Controlled Dangerous Substances which you should not be found purchasing or vending. Chances are that you could be awarded severe by the court of law if you are found guilty of the crime. The possession of CDS NJ charge extends even to those people who are driving on the public roads. In fact, this is one of the most common traffic violations in the state. The motor vehicle code spells out the penalties that should be granted to vehicle owners who are found guilty of possessing these substances. If you are a car owner and the police officers have found the drugs in your vehicle, here are some tips that you should consider in proving your innocence.

If the law enforcement officers discover that you are operating a vehicle that contains the illegal substances, you should not panic. It is very difficult to prove some of the fundamentals of this charge and the prosecution has to prove these aspects before they can secure a conviction. This is good news for the accused person because there is a chance that the court will dismiss your case on grounds of insufficient evidence.

The starting point in your defense is to prove to the court on whether you were aware or not aware of the substances being present in your car. The court can only charge you for the crime if you had full knowledge of the substances being in the vehicle at the time of the crime. Otherwise, if you were not aware that the drugs were in your car at the time the search was conducted on the vehicle, then the court will discharge you.

The other defense to this charge is the lack of operation. In this case, the car must have been in operation at the time the substances were found in it. Even if the drugs were found in the vehicle but it was not in operation, the defendant can easily prove that they were not driving the car and did not therefore commit the crime that they have been accused of.

It is also possible for the court to dismiss where the possession is legal. The courts will consider your case if you were in possession of prescription drugs for you or for your loved one. All you need to do is to provide proof to the court that you had the legal possession to carry these drugs.

The charge for the possession of these substances only applies where the individual was driving on a public road or highway. Even if the law enforcement officers find the substances in your car but you are driving on a private road, then the court has no option but to drop the case or reduce the penalties.

Under the law, police officers are only allowed to search your vehicle if the court has issued them with a search warrant or in those cases where there is a probable cause to do so. If you are driving and the traffic officer orders you to stop and then conducts a search in your car but they do not have a warrant, the case is usually dismissed by the court. The courts consider this as a breach of the rights of the defendant as provided for under the constitution.

If you have been found guilty of possession of CDS, you can use either of the above defenses to get your case dismissed. A lawyer can help you when you find yourself in this problem.




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