Being arrested for a drug crime, such as drug possession or sales, can be a life-changing offense, especially if it isn’t your first time. Representing yourself in court for such a crime, or any crime, generally isn’t a great idea due to how complicated it can be. You need to know exactly you’re doing, or you’re likely to lose the case without a drug crime defense lawyer.
A drug crime defense lawyer is there to help you accurately and efficiently present your case and get you the best possible outcome for your sentencing. While you may not be able to avoid jail entirely, having someone to help you build a convincing case can at least enable you to get a reduced sentence. Within this article, we’ll provide seven of the most important reasons to have a drug crime defense lawyer on your side.
1. Familiarity With The Court System
Typically, the average person isn’t too familiar with the court system, while a lawyer has gone through many years of school and studying for a degree to defend you. A lawyer usually specializes in one area too, so having one specific to your type of charges means they know exactly what needs to be done in order to give you the best defense.
Instead of going in blind about what’s expected in the courtroom, a lawyer will also give you instruction on:
- What to say
- What to do
- How to act
2. There To Help You
Most lawyers didn’t spend the money to go through years of school to make their clients wish they’d represented themselves in court. They’re there to help you get the best possible outcome for your case, and make sure you’re aware of what’s going to happen. Even if it’s not all for the money involved, it is an extra incentive for a drug crime lawyer to defend your case to the best of their ability.
3. Help You Save Money
Hiring a drug crime defense lawyer may cost you some money, but it can also save you money. Going to jail may cause you to lose your job, and even if it doesn’t, the lost time at work often isn’t paid out to you. The financial fallout of a lost court case can be detrimental to a person and/or their family, and it’s something anyone would want to avoid.
4. Established Relations with the Prosecuting Attorney
Lawyers often build friendly relationships with other local lawyers, which can be beneficial in your case if the prosecutor happens to be a friend of your defense lawyer. When you see someone often, you tend to get to know them, and this sort of relationship can lead to better negotiations and a more positive outcome for your case.
5. Drug Crime Case Experience
A drug crime lawyer who has been practicing for years will have a lot of experience with cases very similar to your own. Building up that experience over time has likely given them the knowledge of the best defenses for your crime, and they may be able to use former cases as a sort of building block for yours. When your lawyer knows what they’re doing, you know you’re in good hands.
6. Provide Guidance For Next Steps
It can be tempting to battle your case and court to see if you can win, but sometimes it’s better to take a plea deal. When you hire a drug crime defense lawyer, they’ll let you know what you should do. You don’t have to follow their advice, and they will help defend you if you want to battle your criminal charges, but their experience in court provides them with the best advice to give you. Battling the charges can lead to a worse outcome than if you take an advised plea deal, but they can also advise you to battle said charges if you do have a good case.
7. Save Your Future
No one wants to go to jail, especially not for an extended period of time. Defending yourself in court can lead to a huge loss for you, and may land you in jail for several years. This can ruin your life and future, but a lawyer will do their best to save it. The saying goes that anything you say in court can and will be used against you, and a drug crime defense lawyer will advise you on what not to say in order to keep your future and family safe, financially and legally. Getting a lawyer on your side early can even help you get the case dismissed entirely, which prevents criminal charges from going on record.
Seek Out The Help of CJB Lawyers
In conclusion, a drug crime defense lawyer will do everything they can to protect you from a severe and unwanted sentencing. Hiring a drug crime defense lawyer is in your best interest for many reasons:
- Even if you’ve committed a drug crime, a lawyer can give you hope for the outcome of the near future.
- Having advice and knowledge on your side is better than going into the courtroom blind and unprepared.
If you’re looking for a drug crime defense lawyer in Minnesota, contact CJB Law for assistance. We’ll do all that we can to provide the best lawyer and the best defense for your case to protect your future.