What You Need To Know About Drug Possession Defense Bartlett TN

By Ida Dorsey


Illegal drugs and narcotics are referred to as controlled substances in criminal law. Some of the commonly abused substances are cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana. Some inhabitants of Bartlett, TN think that the crime of possessing illegal substances is minor, but this is not the case. If you get arrested for possessing drugs, you have to deal with serious repercussions.

In Tennessee, the first and second convictions of possessing a controlled substance are class A misdemeanors. Penalties include a fine of up to 2,500 dollars, a year in jail or both. The third and subsequent convictions are class E felonies and the penalties include a fine of up to 3,000 dollars, one to six years in jail or both. People who are found carrying a controlled substance can hire a criminal defense attorney. By working with attorneys who provide drug possession defense Bartlett TN residents can get the representation they need to avoid getting convicted. If they get convicted, their sentences can be reduced.

You can be charged with the crime of possessing a controlled substance if you knowingly used or carried such a substance. In court, a prosecutor has to show that you knew that the substance you were carrying was illegal and you intended to use or sell it. A prosecutor can show this from the circumstances surrounding your case.

If you have been charged with possessing an illegal substance or are being investigated for a drug offense, you should not ignore the charges. Whether you are facing misdemeanor or felony charges, you should tackle the problem by hiring a drug crime defense attorney to guide you through the litigation process. After informing the lawyer about your case, he or she will work hard to defend your rights.

A competent criminal defense lawyer is able to handle different types cases involving drug crimes. As the lawyer defends you, he or she may challenge the stated evidence, testimony or facts in your case. Your lawyer may also target the procedural errors that occurred, such as seizure or search violations.

If a police officer failed to follow the legal process when searching for controlled substances, the drugs found in the possession of a defendant cannot be used as evidence in a trial. The charges in such a case may be dismissed. An attorney may also defend a client by coercing the prosecutor to show that the controlled substance found in his or her possession actually belonged to him or her.

Your attorney may also coerce the prosecutor to prove that the drugs found in your possession are illegal by sending them to a crime laboratory to be analyzed. After analysis, a laboratory analyst has to give his or her testimony during the trial so that the prosecutor can support his or her claims. Your attorney can also ask the prosecutor to display the actual drugs that were found in your possession.

If a prosecutor loses or lacks the actual drugs, the case can be dismissed. Defense attorneys never assume that evidence still exists when a trial is going on. If you hire an experienced attorney, you can avoid paying hefty fines or going to jail. The professional can negotiate alternative sentences such as community service, house arrest or drug rehabilitation.




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