Federal Drug Crime Defense: Understanding Your Options

There are a wide range of drug crimes that you may be charged with, and these may be both state and federal criminal offenses. The DEA, or drug enforcement agency, is tasked with identifying and enforcing federal drug laws. These may pertain to trafficking, distribution and more for a wide range of illegal substances. However, through the DEA's efforts, violation of separate state crimes may also be identified. Depending on the severity of the charges that you are facing, the impact of a conviction can be substantial and could potentially affect the rest of your life in different ways. While there are many criminal defense attorneys who you could hire for representation in your upcoming court case, hiring an attorney who has specific and considerable experience with DEA drug crime charges may be in your best interest. With a closer look at what you can expect by hiring a knowledgeable and helpful drug crime defense attorney, you may be ready to begin working with your attorney and building an excellent defense.

Your Rights During Arrest and Investigation

One of the most important factors to keep in mind is that you have rights that cannot be violated by the DEA or any other law enforcement agency or official throughout all aspects of the arrest. This includes during the search and seizure phase, while interrogating you and during the arrest process. While violations in these areas are rare, any violation could result in the immediate dismissal of some or all of the drug crime charges that you are currently facing. Your experienced attorney will initially review the facts of your case to identify any possible rights violations that can be used effectively to get the charges against you dropped. If your drug crime charges are dropped, you are free to walk away without any need to appear in court.

Building Your Defense Strategy

Depending on the type of charges that you are facing and the evidence that the prosecutor has, your drug crime defense attorney will work to develop a case that could produce the best outcome possible. It is not reasonable to expect a defense attorney to produce an innocent verdict when you are guilty of the crime in most cases. However, there are different strategies that may be implemented regardless of your innocence or guilt, and an experienced attorney will use his or her previous work on other cases to formulate a great strategy to use in your case. Remember that the attorney may be able to negotiate a plea bargain or to successfully negotiate a reduction in charges. When charges are reduced, you could potentially receive a much lighter sentence than you otherwise may have received.

Courtroom Representation and Sentencing

Your defense attorney will actively present your case in the courtroom. This may involve bringing in witnesses and experts, introducing new evidence and more. A final argument in your defense will be given at the end of the proceeding. If the judge finds you guilty of some or all of the charges filed against you, the court case will proceed to the punishment phase. During this phase, your attorney will present a new argument that is designed to produce a lighter sentence. Remember that most crimes are punishable by a range of years, a fine within a specified dollar range and more. These ranges provide the presiding judge with the ability to choose a harsher or more lenient punishment. Your attorney's ability to successfully represent your interested could potentially save you many years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines if you are found guilty of the charges.

The Importance of Experience

There may be numerous criminal attorneys who are willing and even eager to take on your case and to fight for the best outcome possible. However, a drug crime case is unique from other types of criminal charges. The laws surrounding drug crimes as well as the defense strategies that may successfully be used are unique. This means that hiring an attorney who has a substantial amount of relevant experience is critical. Ideally, this experience will also include a high success rate for dropped charges, innocent rulings and reduced sentences. Because a drug crime attorney requires time to review the facts and develop a defense, now may be a wonderful time to set up a consultation.

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