Controlled Dangerous Substances

New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substance Attorneys

Among the most serious accusations out there are those involving a Controlled Dangerous Substance, or CDS. Conviction could lead to heavy fines, jail or prison time, and a potential loss of your rights. If you’re facing a charge of possession, distribution or manufacturing of a controlled dangerous substance, you want a lawyer who doesn’t stop fighting on your behalf.

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At Garces, Grabler & LeBrocq, our attorneys have a well-earned reputation for providing the highest quality representation for people facing CDS charges. We know the drug laws inside and out, and have successfully defended the accused in five different counties in New Jersey. We know that you’re confused and frightened, and that you need a criminal defense attorney who will stop at nothing to protect your rights in court.

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Understanding Your Criminal Charges

Drug-related criminal charges are among the most complex to defend. In the state of New Jersey, controlled dangerous substances are divided into five “schedules;” these are determined by the probability of the substance becoming addictive as well as how deadly a drug may be, and whether or not the drug has any medical use in the U.S. They are broken down as:

• Schedule I – Highly addictive substances with no medical use. MDMA and heroin are Schedule I drugs, as are most hallucinogens such as mushrooms. Currently, marijuana and cannabis are considered Schedule I drugs, although that designation may change with the acceptance of medical marijuana in New Jersey.
• Schedule II – Highly addictive, but with strict medical uses; thus, both methadone (used to wean heroin addicts) and crystal meth fall into this category, as do cocaine, Vicodin, opium and oxycodone.
• Schedule III – These CDSs have a risk for addiction, though the risk is less than it is for the first two schedules. Anabolic steroids and Valium are two examples.
• Schedule IV – Compared to the first three schedules, schedule IV drugs are less dangerous, though some possibility for addiction remains. Prescription drugs like Ativan and Xanax fall into this group.
• Schedule V – Schedule V drugs are simply drugs from other schedule in lower doses. Criminal charges stemming from possession, distribution or manufacturing of schedule V drugs are still serious, however, and should be handled by a competent attorney.

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Being accused of breaking any of New Jersey’s drug laws is very serious; facing federal charges even more so. At GGL, we always fight to have our clients’ charges dropped entirely. When that’s not possible, we put our formidable skills as negotiators and litigators to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients.

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With eight offices throughout the state of New Jersey, we make it easy for you to get the help you need, when you need it. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney, please call 1-800-923-3456 or contact us online. We have the skills and the resources you want on your side.