Drug possession is defined as a severe criminal charge in Texas carrying an array of punishments from probation to lengthy prison sentences, depending on the amount of the drug. A conviction on drug possession criminal charges could have severe implications for you because of the possibility that you could have to go to jail and pay stiff fines reaching into the thousands of dollars, in addition to the likelihood law enforcement may possibly seize your vehicle or other assets.
Drug possession criminal charges will follow you with a criminal record that can certainly also keep you from certain jobs and professional licenses. If you are charged under the possession law, this indicates the state has accused you of carrying or having access to a controlled substance such as marijuana, cocaine, or Ecstasy.
A drug possession conviction may perhaps result in a 6 month driver's license suspension under Texas statutes, therefore it makes sense to contact an attorney to understand more about alternatives to pleading guilty should you require the ability to drive. Police officers definitely will charge you with drug possession if they find drugs in your pockets or anywhere else on your body, or they may charge you under a claim of "constructive possession". That means the drugs were in a location that you normally control or could easily reach, which could be your car, your apartment, or the cushions of a couch where you had been sitting when the authorities entered.
Hire the Most Effective Houston Drug Crimes Lawyer!
Whether you are facing felony drug possession charges or your minor child is experiencing misdemeanor drug charges for possessing a small amount of marijuana, it is important to have a highly skilled criminal defense attorney advocating for your liberties. Contact a Houston, Texas law firm to schedule a no charge preliminary consultation with a knowledgeable, aggressive Drug Possession Defense attorney.
The Leading Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer definitely will help guide you through the legal system during this difficult time. They may be reached when you need assistance - round the clock, 7 days a week.
Aggressive Drug Possession Defense
The Most Respected Houston Attorney will have a great deal of working experience providing vigorous defense for adults and juveniles confronting criminal defense charges for possession of unlawful substances, including:
- Methamphetamines (meth)
- Crack cocaine
- Marijuana
- Heroin
- Other unlawful drugs
A drug possession conviction may lead to criminal penalties, such as fines and time in jail, and other penalties, that include license suspension, damage to reputation and loss of ability to obtain student loan financing. The Recommended Houston Criminal Lawyer will make every effort to lessen or altogether avoid such drastic consequences through providing zealous defense representation.
The penalties for a drug conviction may range from fines of $2,000 and 180 days in jail to fines of $50,000 and an entire lifetime in jail. The level of misdemeanor or felony charge is primarily based upon the amount of drugs confiscated. By way of example, possession of five ounces of marijuana would bring about state felony criminal charges with a sentence potential of up to $10,000 and two years in jail.
Drug Possesion Sentencing
Judges will typically attempt to ascertain if the drugs were for personal use or drug possession for sale and distribution when sentencing. Quite often the fines are very considerable and quite often the sentence includes at least random drug testing and probation if not some time in jail. Drug awareness classes and community service hours are often the initial option for the majority of judges, once it has been verified that the drugs had been for personal use.
A skilled lawyer may help prove this, or simply establish that the drugs were definitely not yours in situations where they had been recovered from an automobile or residence.
Protect Your Legal Rights
You have a right to remain silent and the right to an attorney - USE THEM. The Finest Houston Criminal Defense Attorney investigates the methods in which the evidence was acquired in order to discover violations of your constitutional rights.
Elicited confessions and the confiscated drugs are often the sole evidence creating a case against you. This might provide leverage in plea negotiations and even lead to dismissal of drug charges. Any type of evidence that's obtained in violation of your legal rights is inadmissible in the courtroom - which means the evidence cannot be employed in a case against you. In cases where a confession was acquired unlawfully or unlawful drugs were confiscated with an invalid search warrant (illegal search and seizure), your attorney should fight to suppress the evidence. As an experienced drug possession attorney, Charles Johnson discovers how to mitigate detrimental evidence.
State possession law allows counties to set up diversion programs for folks arrested for offenses relating to the use or possession of drugs, including marijuana. And, judges are required to give probation, or community supervision, in certain drug possession cases.
The punishment primarily is dependent on the amount of drugs concerned and your previous conviction history, but it is very conceivable you could possibly not have to serve time for a drug possession conviction if it’s your first criminal offense for a relatively small amount.
The state health code also requires any county with a population greater than 200,000 to establish a drug court program to send some drug offenders to treatment as opposed to jail./p>
The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure makes community supervision and mandatory drug treatment programs a sentencing requirement for men and women convicted of possessing:
- Less than one pound of marijuana.
- Less than 5 units of drugs most notably LSD.
- Less than 1 gram of drugs most notably crack or meth.
- Less than 1 gram of drugs including Ecstasy (MMDA) or PCP.
Nevertheless, the judge doesn't have to sentence you to probation in the event you have been convicted of a prior felony, or should you have violated an earlier probation sentence. In those court cases, it is up to the judge whether you go to prison or receive probation.
If your attorney can show the officers did not have probable cause, your consent, or a search warrant, your attorney may possibly be able to challenge the legality of the search that turned up those drugs and get the evidence suppressed, keeping the state from making its case against you.
To accomplish that, the prosecutor should show that law enforcement officials found the drugs on you or in your control following a legal search. The judge also can sentence you to serve 3 to 6 months in jail before starting probation. But don't forget, the state should first prove the criminal charge of drug possession before you can be sentenced. Please speak to your lawyer for a complimentary consultation regarding your Texas drug possession charge, and your lawyer will walk you through the information and facts of your case, and your right legal defense solutions. As you can see, drug possession cases get challenging very quickly.
Hire The Finest Houston Drug Possession Defense Attorney:
Best Houston Attorney » Charged with a Drug Crime? What You Have To Know, Best Houston Attorney » Charged with a Drug Offense? What You Should Consider, Best Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer » Arrested for a Drug Crime? What You Must Know
If you are dealing with misdemeanor or felony drug possession charges following a drug arrest in Texas, preserve your rights and future. Speak to the Best Houston drug crime defense attorney to schedule a free preliminary consultation. Frequently a first charge on Drug Possession charges may be dropped down to a disorderly conduct, resulting in less substantial penalties that usually do not include jail time. Moreover, the Leading Houston Criminal Defense Attorney may perhaps even be able to have the charges dropped in situation where you had been merely in the vicinity where the drugs had been located.
A professional attorney will be able to negotiate these types of arrangements to avoid you from having a drug related charge on your record.