The Role of a Drug Defense Lawyer in Court and Outside It

If you've been arrested on charges of illicit substances or are simply curious about the legal system, you may be curious about the role of a drug defense lawyer. Attorneys in this line of work do not differ substantially from those in other fields of criminal defense, but there are some specific differences that are worth highlighting. Those brought up on their first charges often have options other than time in jail. These options could include treatment programs that work towards getting the defendant clean and back into society. An attorney may try to push for this kind of "punishment" in lieu of a jail sentence.

Advice

The primary role of a drug defense lawyer will be to present his client with solid legal advice. An attorney's role is never to blindly push forward into building a defense case for the jury. First of all, it is more unusual than not for a prosecutor to outright lose a case he is pursuing. Once the state decides to press forward with a trial, they are usually possessed of enough evidence to convict. Does that mean you don't stand a chance in front of a jury? Of course not. But the chances are slimmer than popular culture likes to make it seem. Sometimes it is wiser to seek other avenues.

Research

A drug defense lawyer can only hope to bring a successful case before a judge with the proper amount of research. This means not only knowing all there is to know about the current case, but also bringing forward illumination as it pertains to previous legal precedents. Previous cases are almost always brought into play during and before a trial. Legal precedent carries enormous weight before a judge. The law as written can often be interpreted in a number of ways. If this wasn't the case, there would be no need for judges at all. It is up to the attorneys to research case law and make successful arguments based on precedent.

Defender

As the name might indicate, a drug defense lawyer will also play the role of defender in many cases. While the prosecution and police may have built a solid case, there are always two sides to every story. It is a defendant's attorney's job to bring out their side of the story to a jury, and to cast doubt on the evidence as it is presented by the state. They should argue in front of the jury and give them a reason to vote "not guilty" when the time comes.