L.A. marijuana attorneys

October 21, 2018

L.A. Marijuana Attorneys: AB 1793 Allows Cannabis Conviction Expunging

When California voters approved legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, one of the most important impacts of that was the fact that criminal prosecutions for many cannabis crimes would no longer be an issue. But that didn’t necessarily help the hundreds of thousands with the stain of a criminal offense on their record. Orange County marijuana lawyers understand Assembly Bill 1793 should help address this. However, the impact won’t necessarily be immediate, and those with criminal records due to marijuana may still want to seek the advice of attorney for purposes of expediency and fairness.

Approved by the majority in the California legislature and the governor on Sept. 30, the law (which creates creates Section 11361.9 to the California Health and Safety Code) is in direct response to the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, and requires the Department of Justice by July 2019 to review state records and identify those prior convictions that may possibly be eligible for recall, dismissal of sentence, dismissal, sealing or redesignation under the new law. The state Justice Department will then be required to notify prosecutors of all cases in their jurisdiction that meet this requirement. Then prosecutors must, by July 2020, review all those cases to ascertain whether they wish to challenge the DOJ’s recommendation. If there is no challenge, the bill requires the department to modify the criminal history information in its database in accordance with the bill within 30 days (by July 31, 2020), and to update the post on its website. The state will be required to reimburse local agencies and school districts for whatever costs are incurred by the state as a result of putting this law into effect.

The state will prioritize cases of those individuals currently serving a sentence or who proactively petition for recall or dismissal of sentence, dismissal and sealing or redesignation (emphasis added). That means that if you take matters into your own hands to ask the state to make your case a priority – and complete the process sooner – you may well have your record cleared before the July 2020 deadline. That could be major for many people with existing criminal records, who may be prevented from important educational, career and housing opportunities, as well as those who may be in the midst of a child custody dispute during which a drug conviction could adversely impact the outcome. Continue reading

September 28, 2018

New L.A. Bud Businesses Can’t Ignore Legal Snares

By Cannabis Law Group

A marijuana business expo is now in its fifth year in L.A., with NBC-4 defining it as an event for cannabis growers, entrepreneurs, investors, doctors and users to gather, network and collaborate. As California is poised to become one of the biggest marijuana markets on earth, thanks to its recent legalization of adult recreational use of the drug. The expo is held until the end of the month, with booths making available a variety of businesses, services and products. Some keynote speakers have been identified as industry experts and trailblazers. marijuana lawyer

But as the market grows, our L.A. marijuana business attorneys cannot stress enough how important it is that whatever you niche, you need an attorney to help you navigate through the complex process of state law and local regulation. Failure to do so can end up costing you a substantial sum in the long run.

Although it seems everyone is finding a niche in the cannabis market, there are some main umbrellas under which most of these operations fall:

Cultivation
Infused products
Retail sales

August 6, 2018

Federal Employees Deserve to Use Marijuana, Too

By Cannabis Law Group

A new bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in hopes of easing up burdens on federal employees who marijuana lawyers work in states where marijuana has been legalized by allowing them to benefit from their state’s laws without fear of losing their job. HR-6589, the Fairness in Federal Drug Testing Under States Laws Act, would protect the employment of anyone working for or applying to work for a local office serving the federal government who is caught using cannabis so long as the person is abiding by proper state laws, according to a report from Washington Times.

The bill was introduced by Reps. Charlie Crist (D-Florida) and Drew Ferguson (R-Georgia) once again proving cannabis is an issue that truly brings people together across the aisle.

In many ways, one would not know that marijuana is prohibited by federal law in the United States. In 30 states and Washington, D.C., cannabis has been legalized for medical use, with about a third of those permitting recreational use. While more than half of the states in the U.S. have legalized some form of marijuana, many Americans still have to make careful decisions about whether or not to consume for the sake of their careers. Even where cannabis is legal, employers are perfectly within their rights to drug test and to hold employees accountable for marijuana found in their systems. This includes employees who have a recommendation from their doctor. It becomes even more complicated when the employer serves the federal government. Federal employers must abide by federal law, regardless of the state in which they are located. Continue reading

July 17, 2016

Official: California Voters to Decide on Recreational Pot

By Cannabis Law Group

A popular initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana in California is now officially on the November ballot. voterinformation

The measure had to garner a minimum of 600,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for consideration. A random sampling of those signatures by the state election’s office proved there were enough, numerous outlets reported.

A spokesperson for the initiative, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, said the approval marks the start of a step away from the expensive, harmful and ultimately ineffective prohibition on the responsible, legal use of adult marijuana use. Continue reading