Did you know that there are over 100 million law cases filed every single year in state trial courts? If you or someone you love recently found themselves in a bit of legal trouble due to drug possession and are considering hiring a defense attorney to help, we are here to share why this might be the best idea. Our guide below will go over the top ways that enlisting the help of a possession lawyer is a smart move when it comes to legal issues.
Read on to learn more.
Assess the Evidence
One of the major ways lawyers can help is by assessing all the evidence that is being used against you. They can evaluate if the government has enough evidence or not. They will also take a deeper look at the circumstances of your arrest to ensure that everything was done correctly in the eyes of the law.
Attorneys will take a look at the statements you made to the police (if you made any) and any other statements people made in the case. Something else they will look at is the types of drugs that were involved. Once an attorney assesses the evidence, they might recommend having the charges against you dropped or in some cases reduced.
Federal drug lawyers have the experience and know-how when it comes to the evidence the government has against you. If the evidence they have is not really concrete, it might help them reach a settlement in the case rather than pursue trial.
Challenge Evidence
Another benefit of hiring an attorney for a drug case is that they know whether they can challenge any evidence being held against you. Even where there is “strong” evidence, they might know how to challenge it.
An example of this is, if drugs were seized during a search that was illegal, they can file a motion to suppress that evidence since it was found via an illegal search. Suppressing evidence can lead to reducing charges or, in some cases, dropping them altogether.
Also, any discrepancies in witness statements or police reports can be used to your advantage in a case.
Negotiations
Negotiation skills are a must when it comes to drug cases, and the best attorney out there will have no problem negotiating with prosecutors. Even with strong evidence against you, they might be able to negotiate to reduce the charges during a pretrial.
Usually, this can be done by reaching a plea bargain which will completely eliminate the need to go to trial. Lawyers with experience will work to get you the best deal possible, and maybe even completely negotiate for the entire case to be dropped under certain circumstances.
Investigate the Case
Many drug defense lawyers have relationships with investigators that they hire to look deeper into the case. With an investigator, sometimes new evidence is uncovered that ends up helping your defense attorney. Not only can an investigator find new evidence, they might be able to dig up new witnesses that will testify on your behalf and make your defense case stronger.
They Understand Prosecutors
A defense attorney is very aware of how prosecutors think, which will work to your advantage when you are trying to win your case. Prosecutors have to prove that you are guilty of the drug-related crime. This means that prosecutors have to deal with the burden of proof.
Having this knowledge helps the defense attorney pick and choose the defense angles they will take and how to respond to what the prosecutor is bringing to the table as evidence against you.
Understand the Law
This might seem obvious, but an attorney with experience in drug crimes truly knows the laws governing your case inside and out. They know which laws apply to the jurisdiction you are being tried in, and also the laws that affect the case on a national jurisdiction level.
Even if you are aware of the legal rights that the Constitution protects you from, an attorney will know the smaller, less obvious details of your case.
Fair Treatment
Even though you are being accused of a serious drug crime, you are not guilty unless proven guilty in the eyes of the law. A criminal attorney will not treat you like a criminal under any circumstance before you are convicted of anything. The sad part is that prosecutors and law enforcement agents might see you as a criminal and treat you as such.
This can lead to your rights being violated or you being mistreated. An attorney will work with the court system to ensure that you receive fair treatment at all times.
Represent You in Court
If all else fails and you end up having to go to trial, your attorney will be with you every step of the way. They will present your defense case in court, and they will also take care of all the legal fillings and the paperwork involved with such a case.
During the trial, they will cross-examine all witnesses, plus argue on your behalf to both the jury and the judge.
Ready to Hire a Drug Defense Attorney?
Now that you learned how a drug defense attorney can benefit you and your case against you, it’s time to make an informed decision if you want to hire an attorney. Unless you truly have experience with criminal laws in your state, it is best to leave this up to an experienced professional.
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