Anyone who has ever been charged with a drug offense knows how serious these type charges can be. The penalties are always severe for drug charges and drug cases are always vigorously persecuted. When a person is accused of using drugs the charge is usually based on a test that may or may not be accurate. Charges related to distributing drugs are usually based on possession of a certain amount of a controlled substance. These different scenarios require quite different expertise from a criminal defense lawyer. Choosing a austin drug defense attorney should be done carefully to ensure getting the best one possible with the right experience.
Reasons to Hire a Drug Defense Lawyer
In the U.S. all persons accused of a crime are innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution must prove that the defendant is guilty, all the defense has to do is raise reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. A drug defense lawyer is trained to raise reasonable doubt whenever possible in a case.
There will be flaws in the prosecutors case, there always are, it is impossible to have a perfect case. The police often make mistakes during the arrest or with the handling of evidence. The defendants rights may have been violated by a police mistake. The prosecutor may make a mistake in the paper work or the handling of witnesses. Whatever the situation a good defense lawyer will identify any mistakes in the governments case and exploited them to the defendants advantage. Sometimes the defense can get charges dropped or lowered before the trial starts or have the case dismissed entirely.
Since penalties in drug cases are so sever, prison, fines and a felony criminal record that follows the defendant for ever, any dismissal or reduction of charges is a welcome victory. With a felony record the defendant will have trouble finding work, obtaining a loan, buying insurance, buying a car or a house and many other things that most of us take for granted. The defendants future is at stake.
Sometimes a defendant wants to plead guilty. The defense lawyer can negotiate the best deal possible for the defendant with the prosecutor. Often through a plea bargain the charges and penalties can be significantly reduced. Prosecutors are willing to plea bargain because they can dispose of cases much quicker at much less expense to the government. Also with a plea bargain they eliminate the chance of losing the case.
What to look for in a criminal defense lawyer
Find a lawyer that exhibits professionalism by always doing the best job possible for the client. Find someone who will try to understand the clients situation and handle the case accordingly.
The lawyer must be able to communicate effectively with the client, the judge, the jury and the prosecutor. Without effective communication skills the lawyer will not be able to present the case effectively.
Find an austin drug defense attorney that is aggressive and willing to do what it takes to winn the case. Aggressiveness will always make the prosecutors job harder because they never know what to expect and must work harder to make their case.