Any allegations of drug possession are serious and warrant the insight of an attorney. A knowledgeable Brooklyn drug possession defense attorney should be retained right away. If the police give you the opportunity to make a phone call to someone, that phone call should go to your drug possession lawyer in Brooklyn straight away. Your drug possession attorney in Brooklyn can advise you further about the potential consequences of your case, if you were to be convicted. Knowing that you have someone on your side, advocating for your best interest and advising you about the next steps that you should take in order to protect yourself can minimize some of the serious challenges associated with drug possession. Any crime, including misdemeanors, should be reviewed with a lawyer.
Many people assume that possession of a small amount of drugs in not a serious crime, however, the laws in New York do not fall in line with this. If you are convicted of certain misdemeanors associated with drug possession, you will still have a criminal record and be looking at potential jail time. If you are charged with drug possession, you must take the situation seriously and retain a drug possession attorney in Brooklyn, who will aggressively defend you against these charges from the moment you contact him or her. You need a lawyer who has significant experience in all types of drug crimes and other serious issues like burglary and sexual assault. The right lawyer can help you to identify opportunities to mitigate the consequences of such an allegation.
Drug Possession Crimes In New YorkAny controlled substance could be categorized as involved in a drug possession crime. You need to be aware of this in order to respond appropriately. There are six different possession of controlled substance offenses, including criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, fourth degree, third degree, second degree and first degree. Furthermore, possession of marijuana has a separate six offenses, including; unlawful possession of marijuana, criminal possession of marijuana in the fifth, fourth, third, second and first degree. These are all dependent on the amount of drugs found on your person at the time of the incident. Make sure the information recorded about your arrest is accurate, because if the police made mistakes, this could impact your criminal defense case. When your lawyer is armed with as much information as possible, you have a better chance of avoiding serious and life-changing charges and the impact of a record.
Many of the defenses raised in these kinds of cases have to do with the police violating your constitutional rights as far as search and seizure. If you can illustrate this during your criminal case, you may be able to avoid the consequences of a conviction. If you do not respond properly and question the investigation or other actions taken by the authorities in arriving at the conclusion that you were guilty of committing a crime, then you could expose yourself to significant consequences. The sentencing for drug crimes in New York is serious as any Brooklyn drug possession lawyer will tell you.
What happens in a drug crime is dependent on whether or not it's categorized as a violation, a misdemeanor or a felony. The only drug possession charge considered a violation is unlawful possession of a marijuana, which could lead to a fine of up to $100 for a first offense. A class B misdemeanor crime such as fifth degree criminal possession of marijuana could lead to three months in jail and up to $500 in fines. A class A misdemeanor such as fourth degree criminal possession of marijuana carries fines of up to $1000 and up to a year in jail.
Class A-1, A-2, B, C, D and E felonies may all apply for various crimes. For example, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree is referred to as a class A-1 felony, whereas, criminal possession of marijuana in the third degree is a class E felony. No matter how you find yourself in this situation, you must be prepared to get yourself out of it by retaining an attorney you can trust. Waiting too long to get legal help could mean mistakes made in your case and catastrophic consequences for your future.