Austin Cocaine Possession Lawyer

Possession of any amount of cocaine or crack, even less than a gram, is a felony. Cocaine charges, or "Possession of a Controlled Substance" (POCS) can permanently change your life. Having a felony drug charge on your record can affect your ability to get a job, a place to live, financial aid, or even get a mortgage.  Cocaine is classified as a Schedule II drug, which means it has some medicinal value (requiring a prescription), but also a high potential for abuse.  Cocaine charges begin as a State Jail Felony for possession of any amount, and then increase depending on how much cocaine, and what the accused was going to do with it.  Possession with intent to deliver, manufacturing, selling, or delivery of cocaine results in harsher penalty classifications.

If you were arrested for POCS, getting an Austin cocaine possession lawyer involved as early as possible should be the highest priority. We have significant trial experience in drug cases, but the best results often come from early intervention. An Austin cocaine possession lawyer at Hines & Holub will maintain contact with the District Attorney's office to begin telling your story as early as possible, working to find resolutions that protect your legal rights and preserving evidence that may have a drastic effect on the case outcome. We explore all options, depending on the circumstances of each case, with the goal of restoring the client to the status he had prior to getting charged.  Whenever possible, we strive to get a result that will allow for expunction or non-disclosure of any records of the incident.

Cocaine possession cases for personal amounts often involve assessments, treatment, and counseling. Those charged with possession of large amounts indicating sale or distribution can expect fewer positive options from the court system, including lengthy probation, jail or prison time. An Austin cocaine possession lawyer at Hines & Holub makes it a priority to discuss all options with clients, including treatment options, and strives to get the client a result as close to the position they were in prior to being arrested.

An Austin Cocaine Possession Lawyer will Work to Resolve Your Case

Our goal is to resolve your case so you can return to life without it being ruined by a drug conviction. The sooner we can begin working on your case, the better chance we will have for achieving a successful outcome either through pre-trial negotiations or in court. We always look to the future and will provide you with legal advice regarding how we feel your future could be best protected.

Protecting Your Rights is Part of What We Do

You have rights under both the Texas constitution and the U.S. constitution. Those rights very clearly spell out if and when law enforcement has the right to search you. Technically, without a warrant or your consent, they cannot. That means if drugs were found on your person during an illegal search, those drugs should never have been found and we can make the argument that they should not be allowed in your case as evidence. This type of situation can make it virtually impossible for a prosecutor to get a conviction. After all, with no drugs/evidence, how can there be a drug case?

If the search was legal and the drugs were found during the course of it, we need to shift our attention to the other aspects of your case and ensuring that your rights were not violated during your arrest, for example. As experienced attorneys, our ability to recognize violations allows us to build an even stronger defense for our clients before ever stepping foot in the courtroom.

When Your Future is at Stake, You Need Sound Advice from an Austin Cocaine Possession Lawyer

One of the most important things we do is provide you with information and guidance. We believe that each of our clients should be fully informed over what is likely to happen in their case, what their rights are, and what the potential outcomes may be. We will take the time to educate you, so you can make decisions regarding how you would like to proceed. For example, if you want us to work toward negotiating a plea bargain, we can. If you want to plead innocent and go to trial, we can represent you in court. You have the ability to direct the case, and we will ensure that you are informed enough to make those important decisions.

Understanding the Potential Consequences

When first meeting with you, one of the things we will do is review what you are charged with and what the potential penalties of a conviction are. Then, we will show you what the penalties could be if the charges were reduced. One option you have is for us to try and work with the prosecution to get the charges against you lowered before ever going to trial. This can be useful in avoiding or lessening the penalties if you are convicted.

Our Promise to You

We cannot guarantee what the outcome of your case will be because no one can control a jury. However, we can guarantee that your chances for success will be greatly improved by working with an Austin cocaine possession lawyer. Our vast experience in this area of Texas criminal law allows us to build a strong defense, present it in court, and work to demonstrate your innocence. By creating enough doubt in the mind of a jury, you may be found innocent. While ultimately that decision is in the hands of the jury, we promise to be diligent in our preparation efforts and in presenting your defense. We also promise to communicate with you every step of the way so you can feel informed and part of the overall process.