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DWI and Drugs

Charged with Driving Under the Influence of Drugs? You Need an Experienced New Jersey DWI Lawyer

In New Jersey, driving under the influence of drugs carries many of the same penalties as driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 percent or above. Having a conviction on your record will impact your life in many other ways as well—and these “collateral” consequences could end up costing you far more than any fines the judge orders you to pay.  As a result, you need to fight your drugged driving charge by all means available, and this starts with putting an experienced New Jersey DUI lawyer on your side.

Drugged Driving Under New Jersey Law

The offense of drugged driving is defined in Section 39:4-50 of the New Jersey Revised Statutes. Under Section 39:4-50, “[a] person who operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of . . . [a] narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug . . . shall be [guilty of DUI].” Drugs covered under the statute include (but are not limited to):

• Cocaine
• Ecstasy
• Heroin
• Ketamine
• Marijuana
• Methamphetamine
• Prescription drugs

Regardless of your level of impairment, if you get convicted of driving under the influence of drugs in New Jersey, you will face the same penalties as someone convicted of driving with a BAC of 0.10 or above, with some exceptions. These are greater than the penalties for driving with a BAC of 0.08 percent. If convicted, you can face:

• Hundreds of dollars in fines, costs and fees
• Up to 48 hours at an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center
• Up to a 12-month driver’s license suspension
• Up to 30 days in jail
• Other penalties imposed at the discretion of the court

Having a drugged driving conviction on your record can also make it difficult to find (or keep) a job, and it will increase your insurance premiums by hundreds of dollars per year, if not more. Drugged driving charges aren’t eligible for expungement in New Jersey, so a conviction will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Defending Against a Drugged Driving Charge in New Jersey

While a drugged driving conviction can have several serious consequences, there are also several possible defenses to drug-related DUI charges. When you hire a New Jersey DWI lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.C., your lawyer will use the facts of your case to defend you by all means available. Whether the police violated your constitutional rights, your drug test results are unreliable, or prosecutors simply don’t have the evidence they need to prove that you were “under the influence,” there are various ways to fight a drugged driving charge regardless of whether you were impaired behind the wheel.

Discuss Your Case with a New Jersey DUI Lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A.

If you need to know more about defending against a drugged driving charge in New Jersey, we encourage you to contact us promptly. Please call 877-435-6371 or contact us online to request a confidential consultation with a New Jersey DUI lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A.