Drug charges can have serious consequences for individuals who are facing them. A conviction for drug possession, trafficking or manufacturing can result in significant fines, imprisonment, and a criminal record that can have long-lasting consequences. If you have been charged with a drug-related offense, it is important to seek the assistance of a skilled drug charge lawyer who can help you fight the charges and potentially beat them. One of the key ways in which skilled drug charge lawyers can help you is by challenging the evidence against you.
Challenging the Evidence
The prosecution in a drug case will typically rely on evidence obtained by law enforcement officers during the arrest and investigation. This evidence can include drugs that were found in your possession or in your home, drug paraphernalia, and any other physical evidence that links you to the crime. A skilled drug charge lawyer can challenge this evidence in a number of ways, including:
Illegal Search and Seizure: Law enforcement officers must follow strict guidelines when conducting a search or seizure of your person, property, or vehicle. If the officers violated these guidelines, then any evidence obtained during the search may be inadmissible in court. Your lawyer can file a motion to suppress the evidence if they believe that it was obtained illegally.
Chain of Custody: The prosecution must prove that the evidence presented in court is the same as the evidence that was collected at the scene of the crime. If there are any gaps in the chain of custody, your lawyer can challenge the admissibility of the evidence.
Improper Handling: Drugs and other evidence must be handled and stored in a specific manner to ensure that they are not contaminated or tampered with. If there are any questions about the proper handling of the evidence, your lawyer can argue that it is unreliable and should not be admitted as evidence.
Lack of Knowledge: The prosecution must prove that you had knowledge of the drugs that were found in your possession. Your lawyer can argue that you did not know that the drugs were present or that they belonged to someone else.
Entrapment: If you were coerced or forced into committing the crime, your lawyer can argue that you were a victim of entrapment and that the evidence against you should be dismissed.
