If you are pulled over for a traffic violation and an officer searches your car, it is important to stay calm. If you had friends in the car that you knew had drugs in the car, do not say anything. When the officer finds drugs, do not claim that they are yours, even if the officer says that he or she will charge you with possession of the drugs. You should never admit to doing something that you did not do. If you find yourself charged with possession of drugs, you need to hire an attorney right away. The following guide walks you through a few things you need to know before you go to court to fight to prove your innocence.
The Attorney Can Help You Understand the Charges
There are many times when people are charged with a crime and do not understand what the true charges are. The attorney will be able to walk you through what you are charged with and what the potential penalty is if you are convicted of the crime. There are certain drugs, such as marijuana, that do not hold as stiff of penalties as other drugs, such as heroin.
The Attorney Will Need to be Paid Up-Front
Many people do not realize that attorneys do not fight for someone in court without being paid for it first in criminal cases. You will need to pay the attorney a retainer fee and then additional fees for each phone call, email, and court appearance that they make. The attorney will give you a detailed list of what their fees are before you hire them so that you can know what to expect when you hire them to represent you.
The Attorney Will Know How to Fight to Prove Your Innocence
The attorney will have experience fighting criminal cases. He or she will be able to establish that the drugs did not belong to you. While the other people in the car may never admit that the drugs were not yours, that does not mean that the attorney cannot prove that they weren't.
During the trial process, you may be offered a plea deal. If the plea deal has a very minor penalty for the crime attached to it, the attorney may suggest that you take the deal. This will allow you to be sure that you are not going to spend years of your life in jail for something that you did not do. The attorney may be able to get you to serve community service instead of spending any time in jail.
Contact a criminal defense lawyer, such as Gonzales, Joe D, if you have been charged with a drug crime.
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