Dealing With A Drug Charge

Did a bad situation lead to you buying drugs for the first time in your life in an effort to cope with your depression? Were you stopped by a police officer shortly after and the drugs were discovered, which led to you being arrested? Depending on the amount of drugs that were found, your overall criminal background, and a few other factors, you can be in serious legal trouble. You might have to serve a long jail sentence if you don't do everything possible to defend yourself, even if you are guilty of the crime. The content below explains why hiring a criminal defense attorney is in your best interest.

What Were You Depressed About?

The nature of your depression can play a big role in how your legal situation turns out, especially because it is your first time buying drugs. For instance, if you purchased the drugs in an effort to cope with the death of a loved one, a judge might be more understanding. However, you must also keep in mind that you must be punished for the crime no matter what your reason for committing it may be. Depression can affect your mental state and encourage you to act out in an abnormal manner. An attorney can help by using your reason for committing the crime as a way to get you a lighter sentence.

Have You Ever Committed Other Crimes?

Although this was your first time committing the offense of buying drugs, your overall criminal history is important. If you have committed any other crimes in the past, a judge might not be lenient when it comes to giving you a sentence. If you have committed crimes in the past, the severity of them is one of the things that will be focused on in court. You need an attorney to defend your case so he or she can defend any past crimes that you have committed. He or she might use your age at the time as a defense, or many other things that can prove that you are no longer in the same mindset that you were in when the crimes were committed.

Are You Willing to Admit Your Guilt?

It is likely in your best interest to admit your guilt in the crime. However, speaking to a criminal law attorney about the crime is in your best interest before admitting guilt. He or she will advise you based on the evidence that is against you, as well as the sentence that you are facing. It is possible that the attorney will want to enter a plea deal on your behalf that involves you admitting your guilt for a lighter sentence. 


Share