Building A Defense For A Third Offense Drug Charge

Below, a Virginia Beach drug attorney discusses the importance of retaining counsel, especially if it’s a third time drug offense charge.

How Is The Treatment Different As A Virginia Beach Lawyer To Build A Defense For Third Offense Drug Charges?

For third offense drug charges, I still do the same thing that I would do when a client is charged with a first or second offense. I analyze the case from the very beginning, beginning with the stop up until the time the client is arrested. It is even more important, as the stakes are high for third offenses, to make sure that the officer followed each procedural step correctly and that they were not sloppy in any of their work.

Analyzing a third offense drug charge from the defendant’s initial interaction with the law enforcement officer through the search and the eventual seizure of the material is consistent regardless of the number of the charge. The difference is only really in the outcome. The more convictions the defendant has under his belt, the harsher the treatment for each is going to be going forward. IIt is really crucial to carefully analyze everything in order to pick apart each step to build a strong defense.

What Should You Look For In A Lawyer For A Third Drug Offense Case In Virginia Beach?

When you are looking for a lawyer in Virginia Beach for a third time drug offense case,  one of the most important factors that you should consider is finding somebody that makes you feel comfortable. This means a whole variety of things. You need someone makes you feel comfortable personally, so that you are able to share all of the details of your case in as much detail as possible. You also need someone who makes you feel comfortable with their own competence.

Another thing to look for is someone who has experience in drug cases before. You should look at reviews and you should look at someone’s past results before you make the final decision of an attorney.

It does matter that someone has local experience. It is really important to have someone who handles matters in your jurisdiction regularly. The method of obtaining evidence from the other side varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and you want someone familiar with the exact procedures that Virginia Beach follows so that they can focus solely on the details of the case rather than wasting time trying to navigate unfamiliar procedural territory.

Local experience can also make a difference in the outcome of your case because local attorneys have more interactions with the same judges and prosecutors over and over again. Assuming these relationships that they built are positive, this can mean that these important players will be willing to work with your attorney rather than work against them.