Texas is strict on illegal drugs, and over the last 30 years arrests on drug charges have skyrocketed in the state.
While drugs are a problem in society, nobody wins if the wrong person is convicted of a drug crime.
If you are arrested for possession of an illegal drug in the state of Texas, you could face jail time, probation, thousands of dollars in fines, and losing your driver’s license.
Under Texas state law, there are several factors that determine the severity of a drug crime, ranging from misdemeanor to felony charges. Those determining factors are:
- What type of drug was it?
- What is the quantity of drugs found?
- Were drugs found with a large amount of money?
- Does the person charged have any past convictions?
- How were the drugs stored or concealed?
- Was any drug paraphernalia found?
If you are in fact guilty and it is your first time offense, you may be able to have your drug charges dropped in exchange for completing a diversion program. Your charges will not appear on your criminal record if you successfully complete the program. However if you are not eligible for a diversion program you may alternatively be given a deferred probation that if successfully completed will not result in a felony conviction. In some cases it can later be sealed so that only law enforcement agencies can see that it exists.
Drugs are a pervasive problem in our society today but nobody wins when the wrong person gets convicted, and filling up prisons with low-level offenders isn’t always the best answer, either. Getting an experienced attorney to review your case can help you understand whether to fight your case in trial.
If you have been unfairly charged with possession of drugs, you need a criminal defense attorney with persistence and a willingness to fight the State, even in trial, to get the right result. Don’t get talked into a plea until you know all your options. You need an attorney who can spot the problems with the State’s case and expose it.
Whether you have been charged with a misdemeanor or felony drug charge, call Dallas criminal defense attorney, Roger Haynes, to handle your drug case. Roger has more than 18 years experience in criminal law and over a 14 as a defense lawyer.