Richmond Drug Charges
Criminal Defense Attorney Serving Richmond
Drug crimes are generally both federal and state offenses. If you are accused of a drug crime, you may face charges and penalties in state court as well as federal court. Under federal law, which many state laws mimic, controlled substances are divided into five "schedules," the fifth being the least serious and the first being the most serious. The seriousness of the drug is determined by addictive potential, abuse potential, the danger of consumption, and medical uses. For example, Schedule I drugs are addictive, have no accepted medical use, and are dangerous. These drugs include LSD, heroin, ecstasy, and marijuana. Usually, when a state has different marijuana laws than the federal government, the federal government does not prosecute. There are many notable exceptions, however, and the federal laws supersede state laws under the Supremacy Clause. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are cocaine and morphine. A Schedule V drug is usually something like cough syrup.
By consulting a Richmond criminal defense lawyer at our law firm, you can get valuable information about the offense you are facing and what legal options you have in challenging these allegations. We handle all types of drug crime charges in this area, including:
- drug possession
- drug trafficking
- drug distribution
- prescription fraud
- drug sale
- marijuana cultivation
- drug manufacturing
Search and Seizure - Richmond Drug Crime Defense
There are different strategies that your criminal defense lawyer may employ in building a defense strategy in the face of your Richmond drug charges. One of these is to determine whether you were the victim of an unreasonable search and seizure, which may occur when law enforcement does not have probable cause to conduct a search and recover evidence. This is a violation of your constitutional rights and can result in the evidence being thrown out and a dismissal of your case. Other times, we can decrease your charges by offering a plea bargain that might include drug rehabilitation, community service, and/or probation. We are here to protect and defend your rights.
Find out how we can help you challenge your drug charges. Contact a Richmond criminal defense attorney at our offices today!