Drug Charge Defense Lawyer in Atlanta, GA
Important Info About Drug Charges In Atlanta, Georgia
Being charged with a drug offense of any kind in Atlanta, Georgia should never be taken lightly. Depending on the exact circumstances of your arrest, and the precise nature of your charges, you may be facing tens of thousands of dollars in fines and several years in prison. And even after you have served your sentence, you may still face repercussions from such charges. Indeed, people have been denied employment, education, and even housing opportunities because of drug charges that may be revealed through a criminal background search.
You could lose your license -- and your livelihood
The city of Atlanta, Georgia is similar to the rest of the United States in that marijuana charges are the most common type of drug charge seen in the court system here. However, this doesn’t mean that the laws are lenient in any way. In nearly all cases, if you are convicted of a misdemeanor or felony involving drugs (not only marijuana), your driver’s license will be suspended immediately.
In the case of a first offense conviction, the suspension is typically no longer than 6 months. A second offense equals a suspension of 1 year, while a third offense means a suspension of 2 years. What many people don’t realize is that there doesn’t even have to be a vehicle of any kind involved in order for you to lose your license over a drug charge. In fact, you could be walking through the woods or relaxing on the beach and still have your license suspended over a drug conviction. In addition to your driver’s license, any professional licenses you may hold can be suspended or revoked as well.
You could even lose your freedom
Although drug charges and sentences vary greatly from one substance to another, such charges are always serious. Established guidelines take into account the total weight of any drugs found. For instance, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to 1 year in jail. However, many first- time offenders are only given probation. On the other hand, if you are caught with over an ounce of marijuana in your possession, it is considered a felony and you will be facing 1 to 10 years hard prison time.
But there are a number of other factors that go into determining your exact drug charges and sentences. By looking at the state drug law chart provided by www.norml.org, you can see that possession of any amount within 1,000 feet of a school is a felony, and may result in $20,000 worth of fines and 20 years imprisonment. Subsequent offenses of this nature include a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years. This means that once convicted, you will be sentenced to absolutely no less than 5 years in prison.
When it comes to drug charges involving sale, trafficking or cultivation, the punishments are much more severe. Again, according to www.norml.org, the sale or cultivation of any amount less than 10 pounds is a felony punishable by 1 to 10 years in prison. Sentences grow steeper as bigger amounts of marijuana are involved, and mandatory minimum sentences may range as high as 15 years, with possible fines totaling one million U.S. dollars.
Drug charges are always serious
Besides the sentences described above, there may be even more trouble if you are facing drug charges. Your court costs add up quickly and you may also be required to attend costly rehabilitation services or classes, too. Furthermore, a drug conviction of any type will show up in a background search, regardless of whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony, and regardless of what type of drugs were involved. Such charges won't look good to any prospective employers.
However, many times in drug cases evidence is obtained illegally. Most people are not knowledgeable enough about local laws to determine whether or not evidence was collected in an illegal manner.
You need someone who knows the legal system in Atlanta
If you are faced with drug charges of any type, it is essential that you contact a qualified legal professional in order to get the proper representation that you deserve. Having a good lawyer can greatly improve your chances of getting a reduced sentence and avoiding time behind bars.
That is why you need the law offices of Melvin S. Nash working on your side today. Many times we are able to negotiate a lesser sentence, and in some cases we have had the charges dropped altogether!
Drug and narcotics convictions can result in a severe sentence.
If you have been arrested for drug possession, possession with intent to distribute or sell, drug trafficking, smuggling, drug manufacturing or cultivation, or drug conspiracy you need a defense lawyer who specializes in these types of cases.
Melvin S. Nash has defended hundreds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana cases. If this is your first offense and the amount you are accused of possessing was small amount, Melvin Nash knows what to do to keep you out of jail. With more serious charges, our criminal defense law firm conducts a thorough investigation as to whether the search was legal and whether the accused person knew that he or she had the drugs and was selling or distributing them as charged. Armed with Mr. Nash's experience as a prosecutor and judge, we know how to defeat or reduce these charges.
