Scheduled drugs are defined by state and Federal laws. Generally speaking, scheduled drugs are those that are illegal to possess at any time, or illegal to possess without a prescription. In all drug cases involving scheduled drugs, there are two major problems that a defendant faces: (1) the lifetime consequences of a drug-related conviction, and (2) substance abuse issues.
A drug conviction imposes many lifetime limitations. For instance, if you are convicted of a drug crime, you may be barred from receiving Federal student aid for college. A drug conviction may also affect a defendant’s eligibility for Federal and state aid programs. Defendants must also disclose a drug conviction when applying for various types of professional licenses; on applications for higher education; on many housing applications; on the vast majority of background check forms; and on many job applications. Quite often, defendants are required to disclose not only a drug conviction but also prosecution, regardless of whether or not the defendant was convicted. Thus, simply being charged with a drug crime can lead to limitations on future freedoms. It is important for defendants in these situations to obtain the help of an attorney who understands these long-term consequences, and who will fight to protect your rights.
In addition to the long-term consequences of a drug conviction, many defendants also struggle with drug addiction. Addiction is medically recognized as a disorder, which nobody asks for, is nobody’s fault, and which the legal system is ill-equipped to deal with. Repeated sentences of jail time and fines rarely helps a defendant to treat their addiction. Understanding this, our office takes a holistic approach to defense in drug cases, addressing both our clients’ personal and legal problems. We offer support, guidance and resources for those defendants who want help with substance abuse.
Addiction is the elephant in the courtroom and our firm understands how difficult it can be to discuss and treat. We also understand the nobody is the sum total of their addiction: we see people, not problems. By helping our clients to address substance abuse issues we begin the process of personalizing our clients so that prosecutors can begin to see that they are charging someone, not something. The key to obtaining the best possible outcome is defining our clients before the system does.