California marijuana criminal defense attorneys

March 19, 2020

California Cannabis Company Facing Fraud Charges

cannabis lawyer Three separate law suits have been filed, alleging that a Californian-based marijuana company and its key executive defrauded $1.2 million in loans from investors.

The suits allege that Case Mandel and his Cannadips business operations, used fictional projections — inflated by as much as 2,000 percent — to deliberately mislead lenders into investing in his cannabis companies, then Mandel supposedly held the funds without ever intending to repay them.

January 10, 2020

Six Cannabis Policy Outcomes for Californians to Watch in 2020

By Cannabis Law Group

With 2020 being the third year Californians enjoy the legal use and sale of recreational cannabis, stakeholders expect new laws kicking in, big court cases taking place, and major reforms to criminal justice, all to make this a big year for the cannabis industry.

While 2019 was a challenging year for many cannabis business operators, industry insiders say changes being ushered in bring with them hope, that situations will improve for business owners as the industry presses on.

November 4, 2019

California Police Seize $1.5B in Cannabis From Alleged Illegal Grows

By Cannabis Law Group

Cannabis defense attorney This month, California has shown an increase in law enforcement activity targeting illegal marijuana growers. A statement from the California Attorney General’s Office said that on November 4, 148 people were arrested by local, state and federal law enforcement officers.

During the raids, California Police seized $1.5 billion worth of illegally grown marijuana. Under California’s “Campaign Against Marijuana Planting” (CAMP) activity, the operations lead authorities to seize and destroy 953,459 plants grown at 345 different cannabis grow sites throughout Southern, Central and Northern California. The November 4 raids also saw 168 weapons confiscated by police.
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October 11, 2019

Old Marijuana Convictions be Gone, Thanks to California Program

By Cannabis Law Group

cannabis lawyer A California-developed online tool, called ‘Clear My Record,’ which helps people with eligible convictions clear their criminal records, is set to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans previously convicted of marijuana related crimes.

In 2016 when Californian voters legalized marijuana, state officials hoped to reverse decades of marijuana convictions. Especially convictions making it difficult for people to secure substantial employment. And particularly because those affected most disproportionately by marijuana criminal convictions hail from low-income minority groups.

Now, thanks to a new technology, California prosecutors can quickly overturn or lessen approximately 220,000 old marijuana convictions.
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July 23, 2018

Man Bulldozed Over 10 Illicit Marijuana Plants

By Cannabis Law Group

The “War on Drugs,” specifically marijuana, has resulted in many casualties over the years, marijuana criminal defense including numerous deaths as a result of overly aggressive pursuits. The latest death out of Pennsylvania is evidence of how far we still have to go before we fully grasp the harm caused by hostile anti-marijuana stances. According to a report from American Civil Liberties Union, a man was run over by a bulldozer recently during a pursuit, after the man was allegedly caught growing a whopping 10 plants on state gaming property. The death was reported as accidental, but regardless it is an example of how needless and reckless brute force is in enforcing marijuana laws.

The small grow site was found after a game commission employee on the bulldozer was clearing brush and spotted a vehicle. He called the police after he investigated and found the marijuana plants. What followed was the definition of overreaction. Upon their arrival, police spotted two men emerging from the underbrush. They apprehended one, but the other escaped on foot. The 10 plants apparently warranted a full search with police and the game commission joining forces. Police officers called in a helicopter to search the surrounding area, while the game commission employee continued the search on the ground. Somehow, the suspect was caught up in the thick underbrush. Cause of death was listed as traumatic injuries caused by the force of the bulldozer. Continue reading

July 9, 2018

What Groups Still Oppose Marijuana? Follow the Money

By Cannabis Law Group

At Cannabis Law Group, we discuss at length the groups who support marijuana marijuana criminal defense legalization: from health organizations and doctors to veterans, cancer patients, and NFL players. Support crosses age groups, socio-economic status, race, and gender. A recent report from High Times, however, revealed some groups who do not support marijuana legalization, and it paints an interesting picture of those who have profited most off of the criminalization of this relatively benign drug.

Several of the groups on the list are, no surprise, involved in the arrest and incarceration of marijuana users. Law enforcement officials, for example, have received a great deal of funding over the years that was earmarked for the barbaric and misguided “War on Drugs.” Despite much more dangerous and lethal street drugs, marijuana users have always been a favorite target. It’s no wonder, considering the docile effect cannabis can often have on users, as opposed to the aggressive, violent, and hyperactive responses other drugs can induce. Marijuana has allowed police officers the ability to go after low-hanging fruit, pull in big numbers, and still get paid the same. Many police stations have also benefitted greatly from asset forfeiture programs, in which they line their budgets with money made off of auctioning seized property in marijuana raids. It’s not like there would even be a lack of work to be done. Without marijuana, officers will have to focus their time and resources on more risky areas, such as meth labs and opioid rings, which will be far more challenging. Continue reading

June 15, 2018

Criminal Charges Dropped for Prominent Marijuana Dispensary Owner

By Cannabis Law Group

Cannabis legalization isn’t enough to protect someone from being arrested on marijuana criminal charges. Being one marijuana criminal defense of the trailblazing marijuana business owners in the state isn’t even necessarily enough. Just ask the woman who opened Ventura County’s first legal medical marijuana dispensary. She has spent the last year and a half facing down charges for perjury, possessing and transporting marijuana, and maintaining a place to sell the drug. These charges, however, were recently dropped, freeing her to focus on her business at last.

The woman is also president of a collective in Ojai, Calif. The property of the collective and her own home in Ventura were raided in November 2016, just before Proposition 64 passed on the ballot. She lost many personal possessions in addition to property of the collective. At the time, the collective was operating under the guidelines of Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which regulated use and sales of medical marijuana in the state, but investigators said she was in violation of those rules, according to a Ventura County Star article. Continue reading

June 4, 2018

Unlicensed Marijuana Firms in L.A. Face Wrath of City Police, Prosecutors

By Cannabis Law Group

If you are a cannabis retailer in Los Angeles and you do not yet have all of the necessary licenses and regulations in marijuana criminal defense place, it’s time to get your house in order with the help of a trusted legal team. The city attorney and Los Angeles Police Department have made clear their commitment to ending the unlicensed marijuana marketplace in the city and have already filed 36 criminal cases, according to High Times. Punishments could include fines up to $1,000 and even jail time. Other shops are receiving cease-and-desist letters, and officials hope this round of charges will show others that they mean business.

These raids did not come without warning. Earlier in the year, officials from California Bureau of Cannabis Control sent warning letters to several hundred businesses they knew to be operating without licenses and promised civil and criminal action should they continue operating illegally. Continue reading

April 28, 2018

The High Standards of Airport Security on Marijuana

By Cannabis Law Group

Flying with marijuana used to earn travelers a one-way ticket to jail (do not pass “Go,” and you’ll be paying a lot more than $200).

Since then, standards have relaxed considerably, particularly locally at the Los Angeles International Airport. However, it’s not necessarily the same at your destination spot, so it’s important to be informed about your rights and responsibilities.

marijuana criminal defense

Current policy for marijuana at LAX essentially follows California state law, according to a report from Los Angeles Times. If an adult passenger has less than an ounce on hand, airport police allow them through security. This is true even if the person is headed to a location where marijuana is illegal. Transportation Security Administration agents have bigger fish to fry, so they leave dealing with issues like nominal amounts of cannabis up to local airport law enforcement, who have mostly been passive.

Los Angeles Councilperson Mitch Englander would like to give more consideration to federal law by encouraging passengers to surrender their cannabis before going through security. He proposes adding an “amnesty box” at the airport, where marijuana can be deposited before a flight – no questions asked, no penalties. Continue reading

April 20, 2018

The (Legal) 411 on 4/20 Fun

By Cannabis Law Group

Recreational marijuana became legal in California January 1st, meaning this is the first year cannabis has been marijuana criminal defense available to all adults on the infamous marijuana holiday of 4/20. While it is perfectly legal to enjoy the festivities, our experienced attorneys also know that Proposition 64 is not a free pass on all pot-related activities. Before imbibing in a safe and responsible way, keep in mind the laws remaining on the books per the CA Health and Safety Code, Division 10, Ch. 6, Article 2 could still result in criminal charges or civil citations.

The following is a list of a few major restrictions to keep in mind when enjoying the perks of recreational marijuana in California: Continue reading