When it comes to being charged with a crime, drug crime charges can be especially dangerous. Without a strong legal defense, the situation can quickly spiral out of control and mess up your entire life. However, a good drug crime defense may lead to the charges being dismissed. There are a few things that you need to know about drug crime defense in Savannah, GA if you are being charged with drug crimes.
Drug Crimes Focus on Possession and Intent
Drug crimes can largely be broken down into two factors: possession and intent. Put simply, they focus on if you have the drugs and what you intend to do with them.
For example, you can be arrested and charged with possession of marijuana if you have a relatively small amount and intend to use it yourself. Alternatively, you can be charged with drug possession with the intent to sell if you are caught with enough marijuana for law enforcement to think you are a drug dealer.
These factors matter in which charges you are charged with, what the potential punishments are, and how to effectively defend against them.
Building a Good Drug Defense
To build a good drug defense, contact a Savannah drug charges defense lawyer to help you with your case. A skilled lawyer can help you build a defense that minimizes the potential impact on your life using strategies that make it harder for the prosecution to make their case. These are a few possible strategies that you may encounter.
Discredit the Arrest
The entire legal process begins at the arrest, and your lawyer may be able to discredit the arrest. If successful, a judge may throw out the arrest and the charges before the trial gets underway.
Police are required to follow strict procedures when investigating and making an arrest. If an officer violates those procedures, it may make your arrest invalid. Discuss the arrest with your lawyer so they can see if there is anything strange that happened that may help with your case.
Disqualify Evidence
Another possible strategy to use in your drug charge defense is to disqualify the evidence that the prosecution based their case on. There are rules for how to collect evidence and present it in court. There are also cases where certain types and pieces of evidence can be thrown out for various reasons. Your lawyer will look for different ways to have the judge disqualify evidence, especially if it was obtained inappropriately or illegally. A good lawyer may even be able to disqualify the testimony of the arresting officer, which often plays a crucial role in the process.
Provide an Alternative Explanation for the Situation
The prosecution will present their case as a story, walking the jury through the narrative piece by piece. Your lawyer can also provide an alternative explanation for the situation, giving the jury another option to consider. If your lawyer can provide a better explanation for the situation, it may convince the jury of your innocence.
Get Advice Specifically for Your Case
Every case is different, and the best way to move forward is for you to discuss your case with a Savannah drug crime defense attorney. They can provide information specifically about your case once they go over everything with you. Contact Phillips Carson Phillips today by calling (912) 232-0081 for a free consultation.