Fort Worth Drug Possession Lawyer

Accused of drug possession in Fort Worth? Get in touch with a qualified lawyer.

Texas drug crime laws and punishments are strict. If you’ve been charged with drug possession or any drug-related crime, you will likely want to fight to get it dismissed or reduced. Once a serious drug conviction gets on your record, it’s exceedingly difficult to get it off. And that conviction can affect your life forever.

Drug convictions can prevent you from living in certain neighborhoods, obtaining certain educational opportunities, and getting good jobs. That’s not to mention that, when you are convicted of a drug crime, it comes with some stiff penalties, such as fines and jail or prison time.

But it’s a huge risk to fight a drug charge on your own. That’s why so many people accused of a drug offense choose to work with a Fort Worth drug possession lawyer with the Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy. We can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

Drug Charges and Penalties

Texas drug laws are elaborate and confusing, and the penalties and fines range widely, depending on what drug you are charged with possessing and how much might have been in your possession. When you’re not familiar with the Texas Penal Code, you may not realize what penalties you face if you’re convicted.

Your Fort Worth controlled substance possession attorney can certainly help you better understand the charges and penalties you might be facing in your specific case. Here is a general idea of the penalties for certain schedules of drug charges:

Manufacture or Delivery of Controlled Substances

Depending on the amount of the controlled substance you are in possession of, penalties range widely:

• Minimum Penalty – No more than 180 days in jail and a fine of $10,000
• Maximum Penalty – Confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for no less than fifteen years and up to ninety-nine years or for life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000

Possession of a Controlled Substance

If you’re convicted of this charge, your punishment could consist of the following:  

• Minimum Penalty – Up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000
• Maximum Penalty – Confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for no less than ten years and up to ninety-nine years or life and a fine of up to $250,000

Delivery of Marijuana

Depending on the amount of marijuana you are accused of possessing, penalties may vary as follows:

• Minimum Penalty – Up to 180 days in jail and a fine of $2,000
• Maximum Penalty – Prison time ranging from ten years to life and a fine of up to $250,000

Possession of Marijuana

Depending on the amount of marijuana you’re accused of having, your potential punishment could include the following:

• Minimum Penalty – Up to 180 days of jail time and a fine of $2,000
• Maximum Penalty – Confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for no less than five years and up to ninety-nine years or life, as well as a fine of up to $50,000

Successful Defense Against Drug Charges

Being charged with a drug offense may make you feel like you’ve already been condemned, but it’s your attorney’s job to defend you against a drug crime conviction. Believe it or not, there are ways to get your Fort Worth drug possession charges dropped, and we know how.

The burden of proof lies with the prosecution, so all we have to do is show cause for reasonable doubt. For example, if you were caught in possession of a controlled substance, but we can show that the drugs may not have belonged to you, we can allow for reasonable doubt to enter the minds of the jury or judge.

Also, law enforcement officers sometimes commit illegal searches, such as searches without consent or without a warrant. If we can get the search thrown out, then the whole case will likely fall apart. Your attorney will be happy to discuss with you the best defense for your particular case.

Understanding the Legal Concept of ‘Possession’

When you’ve been arrested on a charge involving the possession of a controlled substance, you may not understand what the prosecution must prove in order for you to be convicted. In any set of circumstances, many people could have been around the drugs in question, and the drugs might have belonged to any number of people.

It may seem like all the police have to do is find drugs near you to implicate you as guilty, but that’s not true. For example, let’s say you were riding in your friend’s car and your friend was pulled over. The officers did a search of the vehicle for whatever reason and found drugs under your seat, and then they arrested you and charged you with possession.

But just because the drugs were found under your seat, does that mean the drugs belong to you? If the prosecutor can’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that those were your drugs—and not your friend’s or not some other passenger’s—then your Fort Worth drug possession attorney can poke major holes in the case against you.

For the drug possession charge against you to stick, affirmative links must be established. Affirmative links are basically independent facts or circumstances that demonstrate that you knew of the drugs and that you had control or possession over them.

Without those links, you have a strong chance of getting out of this—and it will be stronger with a lawyer’s help.

Contact a Fort Worth Drug Possession Attorney Today

If you’ve been charged with a drug crime, work with a firm that combines compassion and personal attention with in-depth knowledge of criminal defense and practical experience. We know how to defend against possession and drug charges of all types, and we want to work with you.

To get in touch with a Fort Worth drug possession lawyer, call the Law Offices of Jeff C. Kennedy. We have a track record of getting drug possession charges dismissed, reduced, or dropped altogether. Give our firm a call at 817-605-1010 or fill out the online contact form at the bottom of this page.