The impact of criminal charges extends well beyond a defendant’s personal life. This is especially true with drug charges, which can result in so much more than fines and time behind bars. A conviction for drug charges on a background check can profoundly affect a person’s ability to gain or maintain steady employment. If you have been accused of a drug-related crime, timely action can be key to minimizing this type of impact.
Drug crime is a broad term that can refer to a number of different legal violations. Most people in Illinois understand that you can be charged for drug possession, but many are unaware that charges can be filed for possessing drug-related paraphernalia. If the amount of drug passes a certain threshold, you can even be charged with the intent to deliver.
These types of charges often — although not always — rest on evidence provided through search and seizures carried out by authorities. However, police officers are not justified in searching citizens’ belongings whenever they please and instead must follow the law regarding individuals’ rights to the reasonable expectation of privacy. Far too often, police use unlawful search and seizures to arrest and charge people.
Police are not exempt from obeying the law. Unjustified traffic stops and illegal search and seizures are not as uncommon as people in Illinois might believe, and resulting in any criminal charges can be devastating. If you believe that your drug charges were filed after unjust or illegal police procedure, we can help. Our firm has a proud history of carefully examining all evidence to determine whether the prosecution’s case is as strong as they claim it to be.
