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Drug-related offenses can be serious. Simply possessing a drug is enough to result in a conviction in most cases. If you are found guilty, you could find yourself facing lengthy prison terms, costly fines, and many other consequences.
While being charged with a drug crime may be distressing, you have the right to hire a drug defense attorney to advocate for you. The right defense strategy could make a difference in your case. Before you consider pleading guilty on your own, contact the Law Offices of Jason K.S. Porter, P.A. today to speak with a Fleming Island drug possession lawyer.
Understanding Possession Charges
It is illegal to possess any controlled substance banned by state or federal law. However, possession can mean different things in certain situations. Depending on the circumstances, a person convicted of this crime could face anything from a first-degree misdemeanor to a high-level felony.
Possession is defined as actual or constructive. Actual possession involves having a drug on your person. For example, it could be in a pocket or hidden in a sock. Constructive possession is not so straightforward. You could be found guilty of this offense even if the drug is not directly on your person, so long as it is stored where only you have control over it. This could involve having drugs hidden under your bed or locked in the trunk of your car.
Having control over a drug is only part of what the state must prove. There is also the element of intent. You must have had knowledge of its presence to be guilty of possessing a controlled substance. You cannot accidentally commit this crime. A minimum level of intent must exist to possess a drug.
Fighting these charges can be difficult on your own. Thankfully, you do not have to face the prosecution alone. Let our Fleming Island drug possession attorneys evaluate your case and help you develop the right strategy.
Potential Defense Strategies
You have several options available when building a defense strategy in a drug possession case. An attorney may focus on the lack of evidence brought by the state. Prosecutors must prove the case against you beyond a reasonable doubt, and they do not always have the evidence to do that. Other potential defense strategies include:
- Lack of intent
- Innocence
- Constitutional violations
- Entrapment
- Lack of control
One of our lawyers in Fleming Island could discuss each of these viable strategies, depending on the facts of your drug-related offense case.
What Are Other Drug-Related Offenses?
Possession is the lowest-level drug offense under state law. Other, more serious charges are typically related to the amount of drugs in your possession. For example, you could be charged with drug trafficking if you are found holding an amount of drugs that is beyond what is needed for personal use.
Another serious offense is drug manufacturing. This can take different forms, including creating narcotics in a lab to cultivating marijuana plants. The penalties for this offense are much greater than drug possession, but our Fleming Island attorneys could help you fight these charges.
Talk to a Fleming Island Drug Possession Attorney Right Away
If you have been arrested on drug charges, now is the time to explore your defense options. An attorney could answer your questions and advise you of the legal issues you face.
Do not risk a wrongful conviction by acting as your own attorney. Contact a Fleming Island drug possession lawyer now to discuss your options. Problems? Pick Porter!