If you recently received drug charges, you must begin building a defense to protect yourself as soon as you can. Drug charges are never something to take lightly, and even “minor” charges can result in serious jail time. Your future security and opportunities rely on the tools you use to protect your rights and challenge the evidence against you. The sooner you begin, the more options you have.
While a skilled attorney may help anyone defend themselves against criminal allegations, it is always good to have as much time as possible to prepare and review the evidence. If you choose to wait to begin building your defenses, then you may not have the tools required when you need them.
Can you dispute the official facts?
The police officer who arrested you and the prosecution team handling your case have their own version of events that led to your drug charges. If you can identify weaknesses, inconsistencies, or complete falsehoods in the prosecution’s version of events, then you can weaken their case overall. If a judge does not believe the prosecution has a strong case, the charges may get thrown out altogether.
Similarly, if the officer who arrested you violated your rights during your interaction, this may disqualify the charges and a judge may throw them out. While officers have the responsibility to uphold the law, they may not violate the law to do so, and violating your rights may violate the law itself. Many drug charges have disappeared because defendants stood up to officers who abused or mistreated them.
Can you challenge the evidence?
If you face drug possession charges, you should always consider requesting laboratory testing on the evidence. First, this request demands that the prosecution produce the evidence so it can undergo the testing. In many instances, evidence gets misfiled or conveniently lost, and requesting testing can force the prosecution to disclose misplacement of the evidence.
If the evidence is filed properly, laboratory testing may cast doubt on the composition of the substance. If your charges arose from misidentified substances, this may help you make the case that the charges are faulty.
However you choose to protect yourself, you must begin working on your strategy today. Facing drug charges without a strong legal strategy will probably end in harsh sentencing, well beyond what is fair, in most cases. Do not waste any more time before using the guidance and legal tools available to keep your future protected while you fight for your freedom.