Prince George’s County Drug Lawyer
A Prince George’s County drug lawyer is your first line of defense when charged with a drug crime. The stakes are high when you are accused of something like drug possession or even drug trafficking. You need someone working on your behalf who is interested in seeing you get the best results possible. A Prince George’s County drug lawyer will have experience handling marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth, and heroin cases. We understand the penalties for a conviction are severe and should be avoided whenever possible.
Consent to Search in Prince George’s County
You never need to consent to a search. If a PG County officer asks your consent to search you, you don’t have to say yes. If an officer tells you that they are going to search you, at that point, the officer may have some reason to search you without your consent. It could be search incident to arrest or search where the officer believes that their safety is in jeopardy. If the officer is asking for your consent to search, that means you can say no.
Common Maryland Drug Charges
There are two ways that drug offenses are charged in Maryland. Simple possession is charged in the District Court and possession with intent to distribute is charged in the District Court initially but eventually tried in the Circuit Court. The difference in those is quantity. If there is a very small amount of drugs, it is typically a simple possession case in the District Court. If there’s a significant quantity or equipment used to distribute or manufacture drugs, those cases are typically either indicted or charged in the Circuit Court. The two charges carry different penalties. Speak to a Prince George’s County drug lawyer to learn more.
Prince George’s County District Court
Generally, because of the vast bulk of cases of simple possession, those cases are going be heard in the District Court. In Prince George’s County, there are two District Court locations. One is in Hyattsville on Rhode Island Avenue just a short distance from College Park. The other District Court location in Prince George’s County is in Upper Marlboro on Main Street. It’s in the same building as the Circuit Court, but they’re in different wings. They’re basically across the hall from each other. Both courts have paid parking close to the building. In Hyattsville, the parking is directly below the courthouse. In Upper Marlboro, the parking is surrounding the courthouse.
Advantages of a Local PG County Drug Lawyer
PG County drug lawyers can represent their clients’ best interests, which can vary greatly from case to case. If you are adamant that you are innocent of the charges, it could mean fighting them at trial. If, however, you admit to the charge and are ready to take responsibility, your drug lawyer in Prince George’s County can help you negotiate a favorable plea agreement in order to get a more lenient sentence. Many defense strategies are based on the evidence, which is usually the drugs’ themselves. If it can be shown that the evidence was seized in violation of your rights, your attorney can move to have it suppressed in court. Many cases have been dismissed for precisely this reason.
The best way to know for certain what your options are and what can be done to minimize the effects of this case on your life is to discuss your charges in depth with a Prince George’s County drug attorney.