Drug Possession Lawyer Bloomington IL
A Drug Possession Lawyer Bloomington IL Respects Discusses Drug Arrests
Are you a white collar businessperson who has been charged with drug possession or racketeering? Perhaps you are a young adult who was arrested for the sale of drugs? Regardless of who you are, drug charges are serious. You deserve the swiftest, most responsive legal advocacy you can get. If you are being investigated, or have been charged with drug possession or the sale of drugs, it may be a good time to call a drug possession lawyer from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols.
Thorough Legal Defense for Drug Possession
In nearly all cases involving drug possession or sale charges, the defense is often built based on how you were arrested. For example, law police are obligated to conduct themselves according to strict rules set forth by the federal and state governments. If any of these rules are broken, it is possible for a drug possession lawyer to argue that your arrest was illegal. Any confession or evidence gathered from this arrest could be suppressed and your charges dropped.
The drug offense lawyers from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols have handled many cases involving drugs. We know that these types of charges can involve serious repercussions, large fines, and long prison sentences. You can feel confident in knowing that we are well versed in state and federal laws. We also understand the common rationales for arrests, the personalities who prosecute these cases, and the right defenses to use against your case. Clients from all walks of life come to us because they know they can rely on our decades of experience in handling cases that have involved:
- Possession for personal use
- Possession and sale of drugs
- Drug trafficking
- Drug manufacturing
- Drug cultivation
- Conspiracy
- Racketeering
- Doctor shopping
Our cases have involved possession and sale of drugs in the Bloomington IL area, as well as, outside communities. Clients who have been charged with possession and sale of controlled substances, including the following, should know that they can come to our firm for honest, unbiased legal counsel.
- Cocaine
- Methamphetamine
- Crack
- Heroin
- Opiate medication/painkillers
- Methadone
- Benzodiazepines
- Stimulants
- PCP
- Marijuana
- Steroids
- Ecstasy
- Bath salts
- Inhalants
- Dissociatives
- Hallucinogens
Penalties for drug possession and sale in Illinois can include:
- Fines and fees
- Restitution
- Jail or prison time
- Probation
- Community service
- A permanent criminal record
- Loss of a driver’s license
Consequences may include:
- The inability to work in certain professions
- Loss of a professional license
- Loss of child custody or visitation rights
- Inability to live in certain communities
- Loss of scholarships or grants
- Inability to travel to certain places (especially when you have been charged with a felony)
Have You Been Arrested in Bloomington IL and Charged with a Drug Crime?
Drug crimes can changes your life for years, if not forever. Regardless of the circumstances, don’t plead guilty until you have spoken with a drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL clients recommend from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols. We are highly qualified legal defenders who understand how to navigate the laws for the benefit of our clients. Call us now for a complimentary consultation.
If you are suffering from the humiliation of a drug possession lawsuit, seeking a drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL can provide to represent you may be a great first step. At Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols, we have been fighting for the public ever since opening our law firm in 1938. We understand how a drug charge can severely impact or completely damage a person’s life. Not only is your future at stake, but also your career and personal life. As a reliable source for finding a drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL families count on, we believe in justice for all people.
We have seen many drug-related charges, so you can rest easier knowing we are knowledgeable in drug possession cases. There are many tactics the prosecution may use to trap you into a drug accusation, which can result in a taxing and emotional trial.
There are many factors that may affect your charges and potential trial, as a drug possession lawyer in Bloomington IL could explain. Every case is inherently unique, but below are a few that may apply to your situation.
- Search Warrants – This can be an incredibly embarrassing experience for the accused and his or her loved ones.
- Forfeiture – Police may try to take hold of your car, money, bank accounts, property, or home, claiming that these assets are directly related to the charge.
- Wiretaps – If a wiretap was not authorized properly and legally approved, this could be an invasion of privacy.
- Illegal Arrests – This pertains to a person being stopped and searched without probable cause. It may also include pressure by police to sign a consent search form.
- Entrapment – This refers to committing a crime due to the pressure of a police officer.
Having a reliable drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL has to offer fight in your defense may help you avoid some of the more serious consequences of a drug-related crime. Even when it’s not possible to get charges dropped completely, it still may be possible to negotiate a lighter sentence or an alternative penalty, such as a drug rehabilitation program.
The sooner you hire an attorney to help with your drug possession case, the better your chances may be in a reduction or complete elimination of sentencing. Our legal team can work hard, yet be compassionate during this difficult time.
Drug Paraphernalia
There is some discretion on the part of law enforcement officers in determining if something is considered drug paraphernalia. There are times when they have clearly overstepped their bounds or mistook something innocent for drug paraphernalia. When a drug possession lawyer in Bloomington IL from our firm takes a case, one of the things that may be considered is the nature of the so-called drug paraphernalia. It’s very possible that the evidence seized from your possession had nothing to do with illegal drugs.
Alternately, perhaps it was not your drug paraphernalia and you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Talk to a Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer about the details of your case. It’s very possible that when our lawyer submits a strong argument on your behalf to the prosecutor or in a courtroom, that the truth will become evident.
If a law enforcement officer identifies drug paraphernalia in your possession, it may be in regard to one or more of the following items:
- Rolling papers
- Water bong
- Pipe
- Syringe
- Grinder
- Scale
- Syringe
Laws Regarding the Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Drug laws can vary from one jurisdiction to the next. In fact, you may reside in one jurisdiction but were arrested in another jurisdiction, or you traveled between two jurisdictions. A drug possession lawyer from our firm has a thorough understanding of the laws in Bloomington IL and the surrounding areas. If more than one jurisdiction’s laws are relevant to your case, you can feel confident that all of the variables will be considered by a drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL clients recommend when forming your legal defense strategy.
Exercise Your Right to Remain Silent
The legal determination of what constitutes drug paraphernalia depends in large part on the intent of the item’s owner. For example, a spoon in one’s car may have been left over from a meal eaten in the vehicle, or it could have been used as drug paraphernalia. Determining intent is often dependent on questions asked by a law enforcement officer or on the information volunteered by the individual during questioning by law enforcement. You have the right to remain silent even before you are charged with a crime. You will likely be best served by not answering questions other than providing your identity. At your first opportunity, call a Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer who can immediately begin protecting your rights.
Discuss your case with a seasoned drug possession lawyer in Bloomington IL during a free consultation by calling Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols today.
The Importance of Drug Possession Lawyers Bloomington IL Provides
Whether you have been charged with possession for personal use, or the intent to sell, drug possession lawyers in Bloomington IL can determine what defense strategy may work for your situation. Every case is unique because the details may vary.
In general, drug possession defenses are similar across state lines, but different from federal offenses. Sometimes, drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL citizens hire can challenge the stated facts or evidence; they may target errors in the procedure. The following are some of the most common defenses used by lawyers:
The Drugs Belong to Another Person – A common defense might be to claim that the drugs are not yours, or that you had no idea they were in the car or house, for instance. Skilled drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL community members recommend from our firm may be able to pressure the prosecutor to prove the drugs actually belonged to the client.
Crime Lab Analysis – Although a drug might look like meth, does not mean that it is meth. The prosecutors must be able to show that a seized substance is the drug it claims to be by sending it to a crime lab. The analyst must then appear at the trial to testify and present their findings.
Missing Drugs – Lawyers may make sure the prosecutors produce the actual drug during the hearing or trial. If they lose the evidence, the judge may drop the case. Losing drugs can be easier than you may think because they often get transferred to different departments before being placed in the evidence locker.
Drugs Were Planted – The sworn testimony of a police officer holds a great deal of weight in a courtroom. Furthermore, other officers may not feel comfortable in blowing the whistle on a friend. It is possible for drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL respects to file a motion that requires the department to release the complaints of the alleged officer who planted drugs. This defense is typically used only when a lawyer is confident they can prove these harsh accusations.
Medical Marijuana Exceptions – In a federal court, medical marijuana defenses cannot be used, but can be used in states that have legalized it. If you are facing state drug possession charges, a lawyer can develop what’s called an affirmative defense.
Fourth Amendment Right – The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right to due process. This includes restrictions on search and seizures that occurred before an arrest. Any drug that is found in plain view, such as on the seat of a car after a traffic stop, can be legally seized and used as evidence. However, drugs found in a trunk that was opened without the owner’s permission or with a warrant cannot be considered evidence. If drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL respects from our firm discovers any breach of our client’s Fourth Amendment rights, the charges may be dismissed.
Police Use of Drug-Sniffing Dogs
As explained above by our Bloomington IL drug possession lawyers, the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment clause protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures by the police. This means that all police searches are supposed to be reasonable as determined by a judge.
In regard to the protections offered by the Fourth Amendment, some people question whether or not it is reasonable to use drug-sniffing dogs to determine whether you have drugs in your possession. After all, dogs are animals that can be trained, accidentally or intentionally, to make them react to certain cues from their handlers. For example, drug-sniffing dogs that are used to justify searches of stopped cars on highways have been accused of being manipulated into reacting and giving a positive response to allow police searches.
Drug-Sniffing Dogs and Your Car
The reliability of drug-sniffing dogs has been questioned because of how inaccurate they seem to be when it comes to detecting drugs. The dogs’ handlers have even been accused of using the dogs in racial profiling when stopping and searching people. When it comes to searching your car during a traffic stop, police officers are allowed to use a drug-sniffing dog to check for drugs. If the dog alerts or gives a positive response to the officers leading them, then the police have probable cause to search your car for further evidence of drugs.
However, there is a limitation on how the police can use the dog. As a result of rulings by the United States Supreme Court, police officers can only use a drug-sniffing dog during a traffic stop if the use of the dog doesn’t make the stop longer than it would have been without the dog. This means that as long as the traffic stop remains as brief as it would have been without the officers using a drug-sniffing dog, then a court is likely to find the search reasonable.
Drug-Sniffing Dogs and Your Home
When it comes to your home, the Supreme Court recognizes more rights for the individual. The law provides that the police cannot get onto somebody’s private property with a drug-sniffing dog and look around for drugs. For the police to search a private residence, they would need to have a search warrant, or one of several exceptions recognized under the law. They cannot use the dog to sniff around your property to give them probable cause to search your home.
Drug Possession Lawyers Bloomington IL Counts On
A drug possession lawyer from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols can help protect your future if you have been charged with a crime. Drug possession convictions can result in loss of driving privileges, fines for tens of thousands of dollars, prison time, and many more penalties. Without quality legal representation, if you were charged with drug possession, you’re at risk for receiving the maximum sentencing. Though some public defenders are adequate in their legal representation, the majority are overwhelmed with their caseload and lack of resources. Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols limits the caseload of our drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL in order to preserve focus and dedication to clients. Our legal team supports our lawyers and provides the necessary resources to protect the best interests of our clients. Our drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL can review your case at no charge and this may help you to decide how to move forward with your defense.
Drug Possession in Illinois
In Illinois, a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) cannot be in a person’s possession unless they have a valid prescription in their name or they have a legal basis for having that substance. This is true whether the drug is a prescription medication, street drug, or marijuana (seeds, plants, or buds). Laws often change, and without an understanding of the details of those laws, it can be challenging to know whether or not one’s behavior is punishable by law or is permissible. Our drug possession lawyers Bloomington IL have a thorough understanding of drug laws and stay current on pending and new legislation. It may or may not surprise you that sometimes a law enforcement officer or prosecutor misinterprets a law or else acts in an unethical or illegal manner. Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols can protect your rights and challenge the authorities when they have overstepped their bounds. For years, we have represented members of the community. Regardless of the type of drug possession charges against you, a lawyer from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols can represent you. Some of the more common drug possession charges that arise include:
- Possession of a CDS without a legal basis.
- Possession of heroin.
- Possession of LSD.
- Possession of marijuana in excess of allowable amounts whether it is in bud or plant form.
- Possession of a form of MDMA such as Molly, Ecstasy, etc.
- Possession of cocaine.
- Possession of a prescription drug without a valid prescription.
- Possession of a narcotic or another drug while on school grounds or in a public park.
For those who have been accused of a criminal offense, seeking the counsel of an experienced attorney, like a Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer, from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols for representation. Our team has protected the rights of people for over 41 years, and has an extensively successful legal profile.
We believe in using only the most aggressive and investigative legal strategies that can help our clients walk away free. Our number one goal is to not leave a stone unturned, in order to achieve a positive verdict for you in court. This is not simply a job for us, we are passionate about fighting on your behalf.
Common Criminal Offenses
Your case may likely fit under one of the following categories for criminal defense.
– DUI/DWI
– Theft/shoplifting
– Drug Offenses
– Domestic Violence
– Violent Crimes
– Hit and Run
– Probation Violation
– Embezzlement
– Sex Offenses
– Immigration Issues
– Assault with a Deadly Weapon
A criminal defense case can get serious and immensely complex quickly. In order to properly be protected throughout the legal process, you need to consult with a criminal defense lawyer or Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer as soon as possible. By choosing an attorney from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols, you and your loved ones can sleep better at night knowing we can work around the clock for your innocence. It is important to us, as a skilled Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer, that you understand every process in the judicial system when it comes to criminal defense cases,and we can help move your case forward with your best interests in focus.
A criminal charge may involve issues for state as well as on a federal level. It is key to winning your case to have an attorney, like a Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer, from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols who can stand beside you, and speak on your behalf. You do not want to represent yourself alone during this time. You can trust us to take on the tough arguments to defend you, seek to avoid overly burdensome sentencing and build a case which reflects facts and evidence in your support.
Seeking the legal counsel of a professional lawyer at Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols, can help secure your future. Penalties can be harsh and have the potential to completely ruin a person’s life. When you feel as though you have no one on your side, turn to our team for help.
Please call our firm at Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols to speak with a compassionate and capable lawyer at Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols. We are available 24/7 to help you in this dire time of need. Do not hesitate to contact us, regardless of where you currently are in your criminal defense case. If you have already started the process, it is not too late. If you have simply just begun, it is vital you schedule an appointment with us today. As a skilled Bloomington IL drug possession lawyer, we look forward to fighting for your rights and working to help you avoid greater penalty or serving time away from your life and family.
Contact a Drug Possession Lawyer in Bloomington IL
Call a Bloomington drug possession lawyer from Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols today. We may assist with gathering proof in your defense for the judge and jury to evaluate. The first consultation is free, so do not hesitate to reach out today. We know how far-reaching the effects of a drug-related conviction can be and we want to keep this accusation from ruining the rest of your life.
For more information about drug-related crimes, or to speak to a drug possession lawyer Bloomington IL residents trust, please contact Pioletti Pioletti & Nichols today.
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