Houston Drug Possession Defense Lawyer

Criminal Defense Attorney Serving Houston, Harris County, and Surrounding Texas Counties

Have you or someone you know been charged with drug possession in Houston? If so, please contact a HOUSTON DRUG POSSESSION DEFENSE LAWYER at our firm as soon as possible. Our firm serves the greater Houston area, Harris County and the surrounding counties of Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, and Fort Bend.

Mr. Medley is a former Texas peace officer with over 10 years of field experience. As a criminal defense attorney, Jim Medley received extensive exposure and experience with drug arrests as an officer. Because of this, he is familiar with search warrants, jump-out tactics, traffic stops, and undercover operations. We know which police procedures are appropriate and which are unlawful in drug investigations.  ILLEGAL SEARCHES get cases dismissed.

 Drug investigations also frequently involve search and seizure. Criminal defense attorney Medley was a professor of Criminal Justice for seven years, and taught search and seizure law to law enforcement students. He has unique insight into the technical aspects of search and seizure law. Our firm has used this knowledge to have many drug cases completely dismissed.

Drug Possession in Texas

In Texas, possession of an illegal drug or controlled substance such as marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, or other drugs occurs when a person intentionally has care, custody, control, or management over the item(s) in question. Possession does not require ownership. Even if drugs belong to someone else, any person who knowingly has care, control, or management of drugs when they are found can be charged.

Drug possession may result in a criminal record which can have adverse effects on your future. Drug possession penalties depend on the type of drugs involved, the amount, whether minors were involved in the offense, and whether the defendant has a prior criminal history. Penalties may include jail time, fines, probation, or all of these.

A common point of controversy in drug cases is the consent to search. Many times police officers obtain consent to search from people who have illegal drugs or other contraband in their vehicles. Sometimes police officers trick people or intimidate them into giving consent to search. Texas courts will accept a consent to search even if it is not in writing. This can cause problems in that police can say they obtained consent to search when they really did not. Those situations are difficult to combat after it's happened, especially if the person arrested has a prior record. Not all criminal defense attorneys in Houston have the experience needed to deal with these situations.

Being stopped for a traffic violation places a Texas citizen in a bad situation. Texas law allows a full arrest of anyone found committing a traffic violation, except for speeding. Texas courts have interpreted this power to authorize a search of a vehicle pursuant to a traffic violation even if the officer has not made a custodial arrest of the violator. This amounts to a blanket authority of police to search the entire vehicle of anyone stopped for ANY traffic violation. This includes stops for no seatbelt, no front license plate, failure to signal intent to turn, and other police favorites.

Get Help from a Houston Drug Possession Defense Lawyer

Regardless of the drug possession charges you may be facing, it is important to have a competent criminal defense attorney in your corner who has the experience and skills to provide an aggressive and comprehensive defense on your behalf. We urge you to consult with a Houston drug possession defense attorney at our firm immediately. The sooner we are involved, the better your chances are for the best possible case outcome.