Practice
Drug charges
Possession, possession with intent and distribution charges, and the question that decides many of them: was the search lawful?
Drug cases are often won or lost on how the police found what they found. A stop without a reason, a search without consent or a warrant, or a phone opened without permission can mean the evidence can't be used.
Possession and intent
Simple possession and possession with intent to deliver are very different charges. The difference is often inferred from weight, packaging, cash or messages, and each of those can have an innocent explanation.
Shared cars and shared homes
When drugs are found in a car or an apartment that several people use, the prosecutor has to show they were yours. That's harder than it sounds, and it's often where these cases turn.
Diversion and treatment
For a first charge, a diversion or treatment program can end with the case dismissed. If that's the right path, I'll help you get into one and finish it.
What I do
How I work a drug case
- 01
Step 1: The search
I start with how the police came to search you, your car or your home, and whether they were allowed to.
- 02
Step 2: The lab
I check what was tested, how much and by whom, and whether the chain of custody holds.
- 03
Step 3: The options
Motions to suppress, diversion, a negotiated plea or trial: I lay out each with its real cost.
- 04
Step 4: The aftermath
Once it's over, we look at whether the record can be sealed.
Questions people ask
The drugs weren't mine. Does that matter?
Very much. Being near something isn't the same as possessing it, and the prosecutor has to prove the difference.
Can I get diversion?
Often, for a first charge without other cases pending. We look at eligibility on the first call.
Will this affect my financial aid or my job?
It can. That's one reason to aim for a dismissal or a sealed record, and we plan for it from the start.
The police searched my phone. Was that allowed?
Phones usually need a warrant or your consent. Tell me exactly what happened and I'll tell you what can be done about it.
Talk it through before your court date
Call, or write a line about the charge and the date. You'll hear back the same day.
The first call is free and doesn't make me your lawyer.