North Richland Hills Drug Crime Lawyer

Drug convictions have a way of destroying your life. You can avoid conviction by allowing a North Richland Hills drug charge lawyer to build you a strong and viable defense.

If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, you may need an experienced North Richland Hills drug crime lawyer to represent you. Drug charges are taken seriously in Texas, and depending on the circumstances of your case, the prosecution may want to make a lesson out of you.

Going up against the prosecution on your own doesn’t usually work out well. To keep your life from being forever impacted by a drug charge on your record, you may want to fight the charges. A qualified attorney from our firm can help with that.

Common Drug Offenses in North Richland Hills

Texas takes a tough stance on all types of drug offenses—even those considered minor in other states, such as possession of marijuana. Below are some of the types of drug offenses you could be faced with in North Richland Hills:

• Possession of marijuana
• Possession of controlled substances
• Sale, distribution, or manufacturing of drugs
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Possession of dangerous drugs

The type of offense itself isn’t necessarily what makes the crime serious; rather, it’s the amount of the substance you’re accused of possessing and for what purpose (e.g., sale, manufacturing, etc.).

Penalties for Drug Crimes in North Richland Hills

The penalties for drug charges will vary, depending on the quantity of the drug in your possession, your intent, and your criminal history. If you have prior drug offenses, you’ll likely be looking at a lengthier prison sentence. If a minor was allegedly involved in the commission of your offense, the severity of your charge can increase.

For North Richland Hills drug crimes, you may face felony charges even if it’s a first offense, depending on the quantity of the drug in question.

For example, if you’re in possession of marijuana in excess of 2,000 pounds, you could receive life in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. Possession of marijuana under two ounces, on the other hand, will get you a Class B misdemeanor, up to 180 days in jail, and a much smaller fine.

Possible Defenses Against a North Richland Hills Drug Conviction

After being arrested with drugs in your possession or near you, you probably think there’s no way to avoid a conviction. But consider this scenario: You walked into your friend’s house, and he said to relax on his couch while he ran to the store to get a drink. You’re sitting there when the police knock on the door with a warrant.

They conduct a search and find drugs in the cushions of the very couch you’re sitting on. You’ve just been caught in possession of drugs and you had absolutely no knowledge the drugs were there. Should you be convicted of the crime, or should you fight it?

Defenses your drug crime attorney in North Richland Hills could use to keep a drug conviction off your record include the following:

• Lack of knowledge that the drugs were in your possession
• Being purposefully set up
• Entrapment
• Crime lab errors
• Police errors, such as illegal search and seizure

Other Ways Drug Crime Convictions Can Affect Your Life

It’s not uncommon for people to mistakenly believe that a misdemeanor drug charge won’t really impact them. They think, “What’s a fine and one night in jail? No biggie.” They falsely believe employers won’t be able to see the crime on their record because they only look for felonies.

Unfortunately, that’s simply not true. Employers can and do see misdemeanors, and they can use this information to decide whether they want to hire you. In addition to employers passing you over because of your criminal record, there are many other ways your North Richland Hills drug crime conviction can negatively impact your life:

• If you have children, Texas Child Protective Services could become involved in your life.
• You can be forced to attend substance abuse classes.
• You could be placed on probation, opening your whole life to your probation officer’s perusal.
• Many housing areas won’t allow residents with drug convictions.
• Some government programs will deny you based on your drug offense.

Contact a North Richland Hills Drug Crime Attorney

So many people who have been charged with a drug crime simply give in and sign a plea agreement—even when they’re not guilty of the charge. The fear of taking their case to trial is simply overwhelming, and they’re afraid they’ll be convicted despite their innocence. Don’t let the prosecution bully you into signing a plea agreement.

Talk with a North Richland Hills drug crime lawyer who can devise a defense strategy for your unique situation. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy have defended countless clients, and we can help you, too. Call us at 817-605-1010 or fill out the form below to discuss your case with us.