possessing, cultivating or selling marijuana can result in a felony or a misdemeanor charge. A first offense alone can result in being sentenced for up to one year in jail. However, there may be alternatives to serving jail time or having a mark put on your record if you do not have a prior criminal record.  By hiring an experienced criminal defense lawyer, we can tell if you may qualify for drug diversion or “drug court”. Drug diversion programs allow someone accused of a minor drug offense to be considered for what is called “alternative disposition” in their case. If approved for a drug program you can receive treatment instead of jail time.