Hiring the Right Drug Lawyer Can Be Critical to the Outcome of Your Case

A drug charge can carry very serious consequences especially if the authorities discover you in possession of controlled substances. State drug charges can find an individual facing a long prison term or steep fines. There are also severe minimum mandatory sentences a person faces when charged with a federal drug crime. While arrests for state drug crime involve short investigations, investigations for federal drug crimes are usually conducted over long periods of time. Whatever jurisdiction your drug charge falls into, having a knowledgeable and aggressive drug lawyer representing you is the best way to protect your freedom and your rights.

To make an arrest for illegal drugs, there must first be probable cause. It is often the case when a vehicle is stopped by an officer when they notice a minor traffic violation such as the driver having a broken tail or head light and the police officer asks permission to search the vehicle. Sometimes the people who give officers permission to search their car are the ones arrested for illegal drug possession. The officer does not need probable cause to search the car once permission is granted by the driver. Any drugs found during the search are admissible in court as evidence that can be used against the driver or passengers in the vehicle.

Oftentimes the driver has passengers riding along with them in the vehicle and the drugs found in the search actually belong to one or more of the passengers. Regardless, the driver may be the one arrested and charged for possession of the drugs even when the driver was not aware the passenger brought the drugs in the vehicle. There are also times when the passenger is arrested on a drug possession charge and the drugs in the vehicle belonged to the driver of the vehicle. Your drug attorney can get information from you on your side of the story, gather additional information, and build a case whereby they work to get the drug charges against you dismissed.

The most serious types of drug crimes are ones which involve selling drugs, manufacturing drugs, or the production of drugs. The type of penalty a person faces is based on the purpose of the possession, the schedule of the drug, and the quantity of the drug involved. There are mandatory sentences that usually accompany drug offenses. Since drug offenses carry such serious consequences, a person charged with any of these types of offenses should contact a drug lawyer immediately. Examples of the charges an individual faces for possession charges include:

• Possession of cocaine that is < 5 kgs may be facing 5-40 years in prison

• Possession of cocaine that is > 5 kgs may be facing 10yrs to life in prison

A drug lawyer that is part of a reputable drug crime law firm is the best choice for giving you the type of legal representation you need. During the legal process, this expert team of lawyers reviews your case and determines whether or not your rights were violated. Your lawyer will work diligently to build your defense to either get the charges against you reduced or get the charges against you dismissed.