Many times, drug charges are the result of police discovering drugs on someone’s person, in their vehicle, or their home. Although this may be intimidating, it does not mean that the person is guilty. Drug crimes can vary widely in Georgia from an inconsequential misdemeanor for marijuana possession, all the way up to life-altering penalties for drug trafficking.
An experienced Dekalb County drug attorney thereby can help utilize the facts and circumstances of the case to their client’s advantage, and will work to obtain the best result.
Cocaine trafficking has been a significant source of drug arrests in DeKalb County over the last five years and as a result cocaine arrests at the felony level are very common in DeKalb County. Law enforcement has recently been strongly enforcing cocaine trafficking laws and have run a multitude of sting operations related to cocaine arrests using both undercover buyers and undercover sales to deter both the consumption and the sale of narcotics in DeKalb County.
Additionally, like many counties in Metropolitan Atlanta, there are a wealth of marijuana arrests and other arrests for methamphetamine and heroin. With that said, meth and heroin are less common than arrests for marijuana and cocaine trafficking.
Drugs really come in two forms – marijuana and everything else. Marijuana is the only drug that can afford a simple misdemeanor treatment for possession of less than an ounce.
Almost all other drugs fall into a felony category and are treated more harshly than a small amount of marijuana. This can range from prescription drugs that were prescribed such as pain pills, opiates, oxycodone, Percocet, hydrocodone, Lortab, or more serious drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine – all of these drugs are likely to be considered felonies and thereby warrant contact with a drug lawyer in DeKalb County as soon as possible.
The main constitutional issue in any drug case is the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures. The most common area for the Fourth Amendment to come into play are arrests resulting out of traffic stops when someone is in their vehicle and the officer attempts to search their vehicle without a warrant.
Almost any traffic stop that results in the discovery of drugs in a vehicle will have a hearing requested by the DeKalb County drug lawyer to try to defend their client on Fourth Amendment grounds.
In the context of search and seizure of drugs in the home or workplace, typically the defense will attempt an attack on the search warrant. An officer, based on probable cause, must have a magistrate judge issue a search warrant to break down an individual’s door and search their home or place of business for narcotics.
In certain drug cases, DeKalb County offers a drug court program which a drug attorney in DeKalb Coutny with local experience may be able to negotiate in exchange for avoidance of extensive jail time. By attending a court mandated rehabilitation program and group therapy, an individual can avoid extensive jail time and potentially maintain their employment and most of their current lifestyle.
Drug courts have become popular around Atlanta. DeKalb County has one of the best programs. Many clients have tremendously benefited by avoiding serious consequences that could otherwise have forever altered their lives.
Like any criminal case, drug crimes necessitate that someone call a local DeKalb drug attorney as soon as possible. Obtaining swift guidance and counsel in defending an individual or their loved one’s case can be the difference between a lifetime conviction on their record and possibly walking away free within months of the arrest.
At Yates and Wheland, we have experienced drug defense attorneys who know how to get you the best result for your particular facts and circumstances, and offer advice on what to do and not do following your arrest.
By: Erin D.
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