How a Lawyer Can Help with Drug Possession vs. Trafficking Charges

1. AKRAMLAW

2. HowaLawyerCanHelpwithDrug Possessionvs.TraffickingCharges TableofContents UnderstandingDrugPossessionvs.Trafficking.......................................................................................3 HowaCalgaryLawyerCanHelp..............................................................................................................4 LegalDefencesforDrugPossessionCharges..........................................................................................5 ChallengingUnlawfulSearchand Seizure...........................................................................................5 LackofKnowledge..............................................................................................................................5 Constructive Possession......................................................................................................................6 LegalDefencesforDrugTraffickingCharges...........................................................................................7 ChallengingIntenttoTraffic................................................................................................................7 Entrapment.........................................................................................................................................7 Lackof Evidence..................................................................................................................................7 HowaCalgaryLawyer Can HelpMitigatePenalties................................................................................8 PleaBargains.................................................................................................................................8 AlternativeSentencing.................................................................................................................. 8 ExpungingorSealingRecords.....................................................................................................9 ContactDetailsofCalgaryDefenceLawyer..........................................................................................10

3. Understanding DrugPossessionvs.Trafficking • DefinitionofDrugPossession: • Drugpossessionreferstotheactofhavingacontrolledsubstance in yourpossession,whetherit’sforpersonaluseorotherwise.Under Calgary’slegalframework,drugpossessionisacriminaloffencethatis categorizedbasedonthetypeandamountofthesubstanceinquestion. Afewkeypointstounderstandaboutdrugpossessionchargesinclude: • WhatConstitutesDrugPossession:Drugpossessioncanbe proveniftheaccusedhasdirectphysicalcontroloverthesubstance (forexample,foundintheirpocketsorbelongings)orifthey knowinglyhavethedruginalocationtheycontrol(liketheirhome orcar).It’simportanttonotethatevensmallamountsofcontrolled substancescanresultincriminalcharges. • ConsequencesofDrugPossession:Dependingonthesubstance • andamountinquestion,penaltiesfordrugpossessioncanrange fromfinestoimprisonment.Forfirst-timeoffenders,alawyermay beabletonegotiatealternativeslikediversionprograms,butrepeat offencestypicallycarryharsherconsequences.Aconvictioncan alsoleadtoacriminalrecord,whichmayimpactfuture employmentandtravelopportunities. • DefinitionofDrugTrafficking: • Drugtrafficking,ontheotherhand,referstothesale,transportation, or distributionofcontrolledsubstances.Itisconsideredamuchmore severeoffencethansimplepossessionandcarriescorrespondingly higherpenalties. • OverviewofDrugTraffickingCharges:Traffickingchargesdo notrequireproofofactualsale;theycanbelaidifitisbelieved thatthedrugswereintendedfordistribution.Possessionofalarge quantityofdrugs,especiallybeyondwhatisconsideredfor

4. personaluse,canleadtotraffickingcharges,evenifnoactualsale tookplace. • PenaltiesforDrugTrafficking:Thepenaltiesfordrugtrafficking aresignificantlymoreseverethanthoseforpossession.They • includelong-termimprisonment, especiallyif the substance involvediscategorizedasamoredangerousdrug,suchascocaine oropioids.Thelengthofthesentencecanalsodependonfactors suchastheamountofthedrug,whetherthetraffickingoccurred nearaschool,andwhetherminorswereinvolvedinthe transaction. • HowaCalgaryLawyerCanHelp • Adrugoffencelawyerplaysavitalroleindefendingagainstbothdrug possessionandtraffickingcharges.Theirexpertiseandunderstandingof Calgary'slegalsystemcanhelpinthefollowingways: • AnalyzingtheEvidence:Alawyerwillmeticulouslyexaminethe evidencepresentedbytheprosecutiontoensurethatitwaslawfullyobtained.Iftherewasanillegalsearchandseizure,they canarguetohavetheevidenceexcluded,potentiallyweakeningthe prosecution’scase. • NegotiatingReducedCharges:Insomeinstances,alawyercan negotiatewiththeprosecutiontoreduceatraffickingchargeto possessioniftheevidencedoesn’tfullysupportthemoreserious • charge.Thiscanresultinsignificantlyreduced penalties. • BuildingaDefenseStrategy:Whetheryouarefacingpossession ortraffickingcharges,alawyercandevelopacustomizeddefense strategybasedonthespecificsofyourcase.Theymayargue that youdidnothaveknowledgeofthedrugsinquestionorthatthe drugswerenotinyourdirectcontrol. • NavigatingPleaBargainsandSentencing:Adrugoffence lawyercanworktonegotiatepleabargainsthatcouldreduce • chargesorminimizepenalties.Incaseswhereconvictionislikely,

5. theywilladvocateformorelenientsentencingoptions,suchas probationorrehabilitationprogramsinsteadofjailtime. • ProtectingYourFuture:Perhapsmostimportantly,aCalgary drugoffencelawyerwillhelpmitigatethelong-termconsequences • ofaconviction,suchasacriminalrecordthatcouldaffectyour careerandpersonallife.Byworkingwithalawyer,youimprove yourchancesofafavorableoutcomethatminimizestheimpacton yourfuture. • LegalDefencesforDrugPossessionCharges • Herearesomecommonlegaldefencesusedindrugpossessioncases: • ChallengingUnlawfulSearchandSeizure • Oneofthemosteffectivedefencesindrugpossessioncasesis challengingthelegalityofhowtheevidencewasobtained: • ImportanceofProtectingConstitutionalRightsduringPolice Searches:Ifthepoliceconductedasearchwithoutavalidwarrant orfailedtofollowlegalprotocols(suchashavingreasonable groundsforthesearch),yourlawyercouldarguethattheevidence wasunlawfullyobtained.Thiscanleadtotheexclusionofthedrug evidencefromthetrial,whichmayresultinthechargesbeing dismissedorreduced.ACalgarydrugoffencelawyerwill thoroughlyexaminethecircumstancesofthesearchtodetermineif yourconstitutionalrightswereviolatedandwillworktohavethe evidencethrownoutifitwasobtainedillegally. • LackofKnowledge • Anotherpossibledefenceindrugpossessioncasesisdemonstratingthat theaccusedwasunawareofthepresenceofthedrugs.Insomecases, drugsmaybefoundinasharedspaceorinalocationtheaccused had

6. accessto,buttheydidnotknowthedrugswerethere.Forexample, drugscouldhavebeenleftinavehicleorresidencebysomeoneelse, andtheaccusedmaygenuinelynothaveknownabouttheirpresence. • HowProvingLackofKnowledgeCanLeadtoDismissed Charges:Theprosecutionmustprovebeyondareasonabledoubt thatyouknowinglypossessedthedrugs.Ifyourlawyercan establishthatyoudidnothaveknowledgeofthedrugs,thiscould resultinthechargesbeingdismissed.ACalgarydrugoffence lawyerwillworktogatherevidenceandtestimonythatsupports yourlackofknowledge,suchasshowingthatthedrugswerefound inalocationnotdirectlyunderyourcontrolorthatyouhadno reasontobeawareoftheirpresence. • ConstructivePossession • Indrugpossessioncases,the conceptofconstructivepossessioncan comeintoplay.Constructivepossessionreferstosituationswherea personmaynothaveactualphysicalcontrolofthedrugsbutisstill deemedtohavepossessionbecausetheyhadknowledgeofthedrugsand somelevelofcontroloverthem.Forexample,ifdrugsarefoundina sharedspace(likeahomeorcar),alloccupantscouldbechargedwith possession,evenifonlyonepersonhaddirectaccesstothedrugs. • ExplanationofConstructivePossessionandHowaCalgary DrugOffenceLawyerCanDefendAgainstIt:Toprove constructivepossession,theprosecutionmustestablishthatyou hadbothknowledgeofthedrugsandcontroloverthespacewhere theywerefound.ACalgarydrugoffencelawyercandefend againstconstructivepossessionchargesbydemonstratingthatyou hadnocontroloverthedrugsorwereunawareoftheirpresence. Theymayalsoarguethatthe drugsbelongedtosomeoneelsein thesharedspaceandthatyouhadnoinvolvementintheoffence. Byhighlightingthesepoints,yourlawyercanpotentiallyweaken theprosecution'scaseandincreasethelikelihoodofthecharges beingreducedordismissed.

7. LegalDefencesforDrugTraffickingCharges ChallengingIntenttoTraffic Ifthequantityofdrugsinpossessionisrelativelysmall,alawyermay arguethatthedrugswereintendedforpersonaluseratherthanforsaleordistribution.Theprosecutionoftenreliesontheamountofdrugsto inferintenttotraffic,butastrongdefencecanchallengethisassumption bydemonstratingthatthereisnoevidenceoftraffickingactivities,such astheabsenceofdrugparaphernaliaassociatedwithdistribution(e.g., scales,packagingmaterials).ACalgarydrugoffencelawyercan presentevidencetosupporttheargumentthatthedrugswereforpersonalconsumption,whichmayreducethechargesfromtraffickingto simplepossession,leadingtolessseverepenalties. Entrapment Ifthepoliceusedcoercivetacticsorundueinfluencetopersuadeyouto engageindrugtrafficking,yourlawyercouldarguethatyouwere entrapped.Inthisdefence,thelawyermustshowthattheideatotraffic drugsdidnotoriginatewithyouandthatyouwerepressuredinto committingtheoffencebylawenforcement.ACalgary drugoffence lawyerwillcarefullyinvestigatethecircumstancesleadingtothe traffickingchargetodetermineifentrapmentoccurred.Ifsuccessful,this defencecanleadtothedismissalofthecharges. LackofEvidence ACalgarydrugoffencelawyerwillscrutinizetheprosecution’scase foranygapsintheevidence.Thiscouldincludechallengingthe credibilityofwitnesses,questioningtheintegrityofhowthedrugswere discovered,orhighlightinginconsistenciesintheinvestigation.Ifthe prosecutioncannotprovidecompellingevidencethatprovesintentto traffic,thechargesmaybedismissedorreduced.Forexample,ifno

8. evidenceofcommunication,suchasphonerecordsortextmessages, existstosuggestthattheaccusedwasarrangingsales,thedefencemay arguethattheprosecutionhasfailedtomeettheburdenofproof. • HowaCalgaryLawyerCanHelpMitigatePenalties • Hereareseveralwaysalawyercanhelpreducetheconsequencesofa drugoffenceconviction: • PleaBargains • Apleabargainisanagreementbetweenthedefenceandthe prosecutionwheretheaccusedagreestopleadguiltytoalessercharge oracceptareducedsentenceinexchangeforavoidingtheuncertaintyof atrial. • ExplanationofHowPleaBargainsWorkandWhen They MightBeAdvantageous:Indrugoffencecases,pleabargainscan oftenleadtolesserpenalties,suchasreducedfines,shorterjail time,oreventhereductionofchargesfromtraffickingto possession.ACalgarydrugoffencelawyercannegotiatewiththe prosecutiontosecureadealthatlimitstheimpactonyourlife, especiallyiftheevidenceagainstyouisstrong.Pleabargainsare typicallyadvantageouswhengoingtotrialcarriesahighriskof severepenalties,andanegotiatedsettlementoffersamore favorableoutcome.Yourlawyerwillassessyourcaseand determineifapleabargainistherightstrategybasedonthespecificcircumstances. • AlternativeSentencing • Insomecases,insteadofservingajailsentence,individualsconvictedof drugoffencesmaybeeligibleforalternativesentencing,whichfocuses onrehabilitationratherthanpunishment.AnexperiencedCalgary drug

9. offencelawyercanargueforalternativesentencingoptions,suchas drugtreatmentorrehabilitationprograms,communityservice,or probation. • ExpungingorSealingRecords • Acriminalrecordforadrugoffencecanhavelong-lastingeffectson yourlife,includingdifficultiesfindingemployment,traveling,or securinghousing.However,itmaybepossibletoexpungeorsealyour criminalrecordafteraconviction. • TheProcessofClearingaCriminalRecordAfteraDrug OffenceConvictionwiththeHelpofaSkilledLawyer: Expungingorsealingacriminalrecordmeansthattheconvictioniseitherremovedfromyourrecordormadeinaccessibletothe public.Insomecases,afterservingyoursentenceorfulfilling certainconditions,youmaybeeligibletohaveyourrecordcleared. ACalgarydrugoffencelawyercanguideyouthroughthis process,ensuringthatallpaperworkandlegalrequirementsaremet.Bysuccessfullyexpungingorsealingyourrecord,youcan moveforwardwithouttheburdenofacriminalconviction impactingyourfutureopportunities.

10. ContactDetailsofCalgaryDefenceLawyer AkramLaw-918A5AveSWSuite1,Calgary,ABT2P 0N7PhoneNumber:403-774–9529 https://akramlaw.com/ info@akramlaw.com BusinessHours: Monday-Thursday:9AM-5PM Friday:9 AM-12PM Saturday:10AM-1PM