Hot Springs Drug Crime Lawyer

Hot Springs Drug Crime Attorney

Being arrested on drug charges in Hot Springs, AR can be a frightening experience. It can feel like you have to resign yourself to a conviction and the penalties. There are, though, options available to you. It’s important to remember that you have the right to a fair trial. The prosecution is responsible for proving your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and you have a right to a defense. To give yourself a formidable chance, it’s important to work with a Hot Springs drug crime lawyer.

At Lemley Law Partners, we are experienced criminal defense attorneys who can represent you and put forth a strong defense against the charges and accusations being made against you.

Arkansas Drug Crimes

Drug crimes are a broad category of crimes that involve controlled substances. There are a number of different crimes, and they have a wide range of potential penalties. Some of the categories of potential charges include:

• Possession Charges – Possession charges are the most basic of charges and aren’t anything more than having the drug in your possession. Depending upon the drug and the amount in your possession, this could be charged as anything from a Class A misdemeanor up to a Class A felony.
• Possession With Intent to Deliver – This is charged when you are accused of possessing a controlled substance that you intend to distribute to someone else. This doesn’t have to be a commercial transaction, but it could be merely as a gift. It could be charged somewhere between a Class A misdemeanor and a Class A felony, depending upon the amount and the controlled substance involved.
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – The charges for this depend on the paraphernalia involved, and it could be a Class A misdemeanor, Class B felony, or Class D felony.
• Manufacturing Controlled Substances – These are often some of the most serious charges that are levied against anyone creating, cultivating, or manufacturing a controlled substance. These are always felony charges and could be charged at the highest possible level as a Class Y felony, potentially resulting in life in prison.
• Drug Trafficking – These are the most serious of all drug charges in Arkansas and charged as a Class Y felony. Drug trafficking could involve delivering or manufacturing the controlled substance, but what elevates the penalty to trafficking is the amount that’s involved. For the charges to be drug trafficking, the defendant must be found with a minimum of any of:
  • 500 pounds of a Schedule VI substance
  • 800 grams of a Schedule V substance
  • 800 grams of a Schedule IV substance
  • 400 grams of a Schedule III substance
  • 200 grams of a Schedule II substance
  • 200 grams of a Schedule I substance
  • 200 grams of meth
  • 200 grams of cocaine

FAQs About Hot Springs, AR Drug Crime Laws

What Kinds of Penalties Can You Receive for a Drug-Related Conviction?

The exact nature of the penalties you receive for a drug charge depends on a variety of factors, including the charges and previous history a defendant may have. The range of charges for different possible penalties are:

• Class A Misdemeanor – A fine of up to $2500 and no more than one year in jail
• Class D Felony – A fine of up to $10,000 and no more than six years in prison
• Class C Felony – A fine of up to $10,000 and between three and ten years in prison
• Class B Felony – A fine of up to $15,000 and between five and twenty years in prison
• Class A Felony – A fine of up to $15,000 and between six and thirty years in prison
• Class Y Felony – Between ten and forty years in prison or life in prison

What Can a Lawyer Help With in a Drug Crime Case?

Working with a criminal defense lawyer can have a big impact on the success of your case. It’s their job to investigate your case and prepare a defense for you. They are also responsible for protecting your rights through the legal process. They can represent you before the trial in a possible plea bargain or attempt to get the charges dismissed. However, if the case does get to trial, they will represent you and defend you against the prosecution’s case.

What Is a Drug Charge in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, drug charges are based on controlled substances. These controlled substances are determined to belong to one of six different “schedules” of drugs. The charges and penalties are based on what schedule a particular substance falls into. The schedule that a drug is placed in can depend on a number of different factors, including whether it has any legitimate medical purpose, how likely it is to lead to abuse and addiction, and other risks associated with it.

How Can You Defend Against Drug Charges?

There are a wide range of possible means by which you can defend against drug charges. Your lawyer will look at the unique factors in your case to decide how to defend against the accusations levied against you. Some defenses could focus on a failure to observe your constitutional rights because of an unlawful search or lack of probable cause.

There could also be possible procedural issues, like a chain of custody problem or a misidentification of the substance. There are possible defenses around whether the prosecution can successfully prove the drugs were in your possession.

Fight Your Drug Charges With the Help of an Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyer

Arkansas takes drug charges very seriously. The penalties can often be very stiff, particularly for repeat offenders. Charges, though, can be successfully challenged in many cases. Many think that drug charges are open-and-shut cases, but there are often more avenues to defend against these charges than you may think.

However, to do so requires a firm understanding of the law involved and experience facing these issues in court. When you’re represented by Lemley Law Partners, your defense is crafted and executed by a team that knows what it takes to fight these kinds of charges. Contact us today for help defending your case.