Drug Possession Lawyer in Olympia

You receive a drug possession charge, and you have no idea how to respond. Meet with a drug possession lawyer in Olympia. This is an opportunity to discuss your legal options with an attorney. Plus, your lawyer may start on your legal defense.

Puget Law Group has more than 150 years of combined experience. We encourage you to speak with an Olympia criminal defense lawyer about your drug possession charge. Our attorney can give you information about what can happen if you’re convicted and how to avoid this scenario altogether. Contact us today.

Why You Should Get Legal Help if You Get a Drug Possession Charge in Olympia

If you want help with putting together a drug crime defense that resonates in court, it helps to have a drug possession attorney in Olympia on your side. Your lawyer can learn about your criminal charge. They may find holes in the prosecution’s case and can craft your legal defense accordingly.

Your criminal defense attorney knows how overwhelming a drug possession case can be for you and your family. They can share FAQs and other legal resources with you, so you’ll know what to expect as your litigation moves forward. Plus, if you ever have legal concerns or questions, your lawyer can address them right away.

Puget Law Group has received many positive client testimonials. Our attorneys make no assumptions about you or your drug possession charge. Instead, we want to help you with your drug possession case in any way possible. To find out more, schedule a case consultation.

A Look at the Penalties That You Can Receive If You’re Convicted of Drug Possession

Per Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 69.50.401, it is against the law to knowingly or intentionally possess a controlled substance. If you’re convicted of this offense, the penalties will vary based on its severity.

In many instances, knowing possession of a controlled substance may be treated as a gross misdemeanor. Getting convicted of this offense for the first time can result in a jail sentence and fines. Those who have been convicted previously may receive escalated penalties for each subsequent conviction.

Being convicted of possession with intent to sell or deliver can result in felony penalties, including a prison sentence and fines totaling tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, if you’re convicted of a federal drug possession crime, you could receive penalties that are harsher than those of similar offenses at the state level.

How the Collateral Consequences of a Drug Possession Conviction Can Affect You for a Long Time

As if the penalties for a drug possession conviction weren’t bad enough, you may have to deal with collateral consequences that stick with you for years. Below are some of the collateral consequences that can come after getting convicted of drug possession:

• Difficulty finding a job, as employers may see your conviction on a criminal background check
• Challenges buying a home, which may involve a background check as part of the process to obtain a mortgage
• Loss of a professional license, which can hurt your chances of achieving your career goals
• Damage to relationships with friends and family members, as these individuals may want nothing to do with someone who’s been convicted of a crime
• Suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, which can keep you from going to work and enjoying your life the way you did before you were convicted
• Loss of the right to vote and possess a firearm, which limits your freedom
• Loss of child custody or visitation, as a family court may account for your drug possession conviction when it decides your family law case

Your Olympia drug possession lawyer wants you to take your criminal charge seriously. They can explain the difference between drug possession and drug trafficking and other legal topics relating to your case. In addition, they can prepare a legal defense designed to make it clear in court why you shouldn’t be convicted.

Legal Strategies to Defend Against a Drug Possession Conviction

The prosecutor in your case may allocate substantial time and resources to your case in the hopes that you’ll be convicted and punished to the full extent of the law. Criminal defense lawyers will account for the facts of your case and the prosecution’s evidence as they develop your legal defense. They may use any of these strategies to disprove the prosecutor’s case:

• Showing that the police performed an illegal search and seizure, and that the evidence they obtained should be suppressed, which can make it tough for the prosecution to prove that a conviction is warranted
• Highlighting how you were unaware that drugs were in your possession
• Explaining how the drugs that law enforcement found in your possession were actually in a shared space and not on your person, and because of this, you had no control over them
• Providing the court with details about how the police coerced you to commit criminal activity, which may be considered entrapment
• Illustrating that a licensed medical professional gave you a valid prescription for a drug found in your possession
• Describing how the police didn’t handle, store, or document evidence that they obtained at the time of your arrest properly, which could prevent the prosecution from using it in their case
• Raising a reasonable doubt about whether the prosecution has sufficient evidence to prove that you broke the law

If the prosecution is concerned that you won’t be convicted, they may be inclined to offer a plea agreement. You and your lawyer can evaluate a plea deal and weigh its pros and cons. If you approve a plea bargain, you could avoid a jail or prison sentence and other severe penalties that may otherwise come after your case is argued in court.

Our Olympia Drug Possession Lawyers Are Available to Review Your Case 24/7

As you search for an Olympia drug possession attorney, check out Puget Law Group. Our team has a track record of success in criminal trial cases.

We can connect you with criminal defense attorneys who will explore every legal avenue to minimize your risk of a conviction. For more information, request a case consultation.