We Have Successfully Defended Thousands Of People Against Drug Charges
If you are convicted of a drug crime, it can hang over you for the rest of your life. For example, It can affect admission to graduate school, employment, credit applications and even your professional status.
You need experienced, vigorous legal help to build a strong defense against drug charges. At Sheppard, White, Kachergus, & DeMaggio, P.A. Attorneys & Counselors at Law, in Jacksonville, we have litigated thousands of drug cases. We examine every element of a drug arrest and fully investigate your case in an effort to get the best possible result for you.
Drug arrests, though, go beyond a criminal charge. A drug arrest can reveal deeper issues with an individual. We try to get to the bottom of the problem and get our clients the help and services they need to avoid future arrests.
The Fourth Amendment Protects All Of Us
At the heart of many drug cases is the search for and seizure of drugs.
The Fourth Amendment says that in order to seize material from a citizen, the government must have a legal search warrant. There are exceptions. One is when the police seek contraband in plain view. Another is if the citizen consents to the search.
Evidence that results from an illegal search should be excluded at trial. For example, if the police search your cellphone without a warrant and use information contained in it to prosecute you, the evidence seized can be excluded as evidence against you at trial. Likewise, if someone records your conversations without a warrant, those conversations are subject to a motion to suppress. For many drug crimes, the exclusion of evidence ends the prosecution. The exclusionary rule is unique to the United States; its purpose is to deter future illegal action by the government.
We have represented clients in hundreds upon hundreds of cases that hinge on possession, search and seizure. We know what to look for, and we know where law enforcement fails to take the steps necessary to obtain legal evidence against you.
How To Hire An Attorney
Being charged with a drug crime does not mean you are guilty. If you have been charged, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Call Sheppard, White, Kachergus, & DeMaggio, P.A., in Jacksonville, Florida, anytime at 904-356-9661 or contact us online. Our after-hours number is 904-233-2443.