As we all know, Australia has very strict drugs laws, and anyone who is charged with any drug related crime needs to have the right legal counsel. Criminal law has many fields, and just like there are lawyers who only work on driving cases, there are also legal experts who are experienced in representing their clients on a drug related charge. In the unlikely event you are ever arrested on charge relating to illegal substances, here is a guide to help you through this trying time.
Say Nothing
The arresting officer must, by law, read you your rights, which include the fact that you are not obliged to say anything at the time of arrest, and aside from acknowledging your identity, you should say nothing until you have spoken with an experienced drug lawyer. The right to remain silent ensures that you do not incriminate yourself further, and as anything you do say can be used as evidence against you, it is wise to stay silent and immediately take steps to source a lawyer.
Source a Good Drugs Lawyer
You might be looking for a drugs lawyer in Perth, or Melbourne, and the Internet provides the perfect platform to make essential contact with the right people. This type of lawyer would have an outside office hours number, where they can be reached at any time, and once you have made contact by phone, the lawyer would advise you accordingly. Before agreeing to anything, make sure the lawyer is in fact, experienced at handling drug related cases, and if so, he or she should be able to come at once to your location, where you can receive the right advice before saying or doing anything.
Grey Areas
One thing about drug related charges is the fact that there are many mitigating circumstances, and regardless of the substance involved, a good lawyer can effectively represent their client, often resulting in a favourable outcome. The police must conform to very specific protocol and if this is not followed, a good lawyer would notice, and when the court is made aware of the breach of protocol, the case is often dismissed.
Building a Good Defence
It is paramount that your lawyer builds an image of a person who is valuable to the community, and providing there are no extenuating circumstances, a custodial sentence is usually avoided, and quite often, the lawyer puts a very good case forward for a less severe sentence like community service or perhaps probation. In order for your lawyer to be able to really help you, he or she would need to know all the details, as there are many situations where mitigating circumstances can be a factor, such as the breakdown of a relationship, or losing custody of your children, and a good lawyer can use these to their client’s advantage.
Whether you have failed a drugs test at a road block, or are in possession of illegal substances, it is vital that you do not say anything to the arresting officers, rather make contact with the right legal counsel and wait for their arrival.