Drug charges
A drug charge rests on a search and a lab sheet
Possession, possession with intent, paraphernalia. Whatever the charge says, the state has to prove where the drugs were found, that they were yours, and what they are.
I read the search first. Did the officer have a warrant, consent, or a real reason to look? Then the lab report: what was tested, how it was weighed, and whether the chain of custody holds up from the scene to the lab. Charges with intent often lean on weight and packaging, and both can be wrong.
Where I look
Four places a drug case comes apart
Not every case has a flaw. When one does, it's usually in one of these.
- 01
The stop or the search
Evidence from a search without a warrant, valid consent or probable cause can be kept out of court.
- 02
Whose it was
Drugs in a shared car or apartment aren't automatically yours. The state has to tie them to you.
- 03
The lab report
What was tested, by whom, and how it was weighed. Packaging counted as product moves a case from possession toward intent.
- 04
Programs instead of a conviction
Drug court and diversion can end with the charge dismissed. I'll tell you honestly whether you qualify and what it asks of you.
What people ask about a drug charge
The drugs weren't mine. Does that matter?
Yes. Being near something isn't the same as possessing it. Tell me who else had access to the car or the room, and keep that conversation between us.
Can I get into drug court?
Many first-time and low-level charges qualify. It takes months of check-ins and testing, and it can end with the charge dismissed.
They found it during a traffic stop. Was that legal?
Maybe. It depends on why you were stopped, what the officer saw or smelled, and whether you agreed to the search. That's the first thing I'll ask about.
Will this affect my job or school aid?
It can. That's one more reason to look at outcomes that don't end in a conviction, and I'll weigh it with you.
Bring the papers you were given
The arrest report, the bond paper, any notice from the court. Call or text first, and I'll tell you what else to look for.