Our compassionate lawyers understand how frightening it can be for our clients when they are facing felony drug charges. We frequently assist clients who want to defend their rights against these types of charges by providing aggressive and skilled representation throughout each phase of the legal process. The uncertainty of going to court for a felony drug case can be overwhelming, but with our legal guidance and extensive knowledge of the law, you can feel confident knowing you have a team of experienced lawyers on your side who are ready to fight for you. Keep reading to find out what you need to do to beat a felony drug charge in California.
Quickly Find an Attorney
When it comes to felony drug cases, time is of the essence. Defending against drug charges requires in-depth knowledge of specific federal laws, as well as the ability to carry out a complex investigation to obtain crucial evidence and facts regarding the case. An experienced lawyer will file motions to suppress evidence if police performed an illegal search and seizure of you or your property. A lawyer can also help you negotiate a plea deal with prosecutors to reduce the charges against you.
Proving Lack of Knowledge or Awareness
Although police may try to charge you for a felony drug crime, you might be able to successfully defend your case if you can prove you weren’t aware of the illegal drugs. This often occurs when police pullover a car and find drugs during the course of their search and decide to arrest everyone in the vehicle. These cases are very difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt because it can be tricky establishing that all of the occupants were aware of the presence of the illegal drugs found on a single person or inside the vehicle.
Challenging the Drug Sample
Although police might have found what they believe to be drugs, they still must prove that the substance is actually an illegal narcotic. Police usually perform a field test on a sample of the drug that is sent to a crime laboratory for testing. However, errors sometimes occur with this process that compromises the validity of the test results. From samples being wrongly calibrated to even going missing, you can secure an acquittal if you can prove that law enforcement failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the substance in question is, in fact, an illegal drug.
Are you facing felony drug charges in California? If so, get in touch with our lawyers at Lessem, Newstat & Tooson, LLP to schedule a free case consultation so we can get started building a strong case strategy.
