One of the obligations of the U.S. justice system is to protect the rights of its citizens, no matter the circumstances. However, this does not always happen. With the many facets to a Chattanooga trial for drug distribution, it is sometimes easy for the prosecution to overlook how evidence was gathered and your rights ignored. To better protect yourself, retaining the services of legal counsel could work in your favor. Reach out to a seasoned drug distribution lawyer today.
The district attorney looks at the totality of the circumstances in a drug distribution case when deciding whether or not to pursue the charges. The evidence gathered by the police during their investigation of the case, such as large amounts of cash, plastic baggies, or scales, has an enormous impact on the prosecutor’s decision to charge a defendant with distribution of drugs.
Whether or not a prosecutor decides to bring drug distribution or intent to distribute narcotics charges often depends on the amount of this evidence. The mere presence of a scale may not be enough to take a case to the level of drug distribution. However, the combination of several of these pieces of evidence would likely result in the pursuit of drug distribution charges. A seasoned drug attorney will know if the state could continue to pursue its case after it has brought a probable cause indictment with the grand jury.
A lawyer with experience handling drug distribution cases could work to identify and strategically attack the admissibility of certain evidence, like scales, small baggies, or cash found near narcotics during a police search and seizure of that evidence. It is imperative to have professional assistance from someone who knows the nuances of admissible evidence in drug distribution cases because the admissibility of each item is pivotal to the case’s survival as a full drug distribution case.
The most important elements of drug distribution charges are often contested in pre-trial evidentiary hearings, these are hearings on the motion to suppress. Litigation has the greatest impact on a drug case’s likelihood of going to trial. The pieces of evidence that are deemed admissible decides what charges the prosecution brings and what the defense may be able to resolve through negotiations.
Trials for Chattanooga drug distribution cases with large amounts of admissible evidence often hinge on issues of possession and other individuals’ equal access to the area where the drugs were found. A knowledgeable attorney could cast reasonable doubt in a jurors’ mind about whether or not the accused individual is, in fact, guilty of drug distribution charges.
When searching for a drug distribution defense lawyer, the individual should interview several attorneys, listen to each attorney’s analysis of the case, and pay careful attention to the options they suggest. They should research the attorneys’ success rate, former client reviews, and past experiences and case results. If possible, the individual may consider contacting a former client who was in a similar situation to hear a firsthand account of the attorney’s work on a case. Experience and perseverance are two of the key pillars for a successful defense lawyer in drug distribution cases, and the individual must do everything in their power to choose a lawyer who has both.
There are a number of critical steps to a Chattanooga drug distribution trial. Among them are the early stages that could allow an experienced attorney to suppress evidence that was obtained while violating your rights. To protect your trial rights, reach out to a team of dedicated legal representatives today.