Found an issue on this page? Let us know and we will look into it as soon as possible.
What am I being charged with?
Anonymous4 views1 answers
I recently received a letter that I am to appear in court for a jury trial (for an incident that occurred 4 years ago) and am being charged with "Driving with Controlled Substance (1st w/pass.)", or something along those lines. What EXACTLY am I being charged with? How much would you estimate a lawyer would cost to handle this case (I know I need one)? And last, would I be able to counter-sue the court for lawyer charges if I am found not guilty? Thank you very much!
The "or something along those lines" makes a precise answer impossible. You are either being charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance (legal or illegal drugs) or you are being charged with operating with a detectible amount of a restricted controlled substance (illegal drugs) in your system. Even though it is a first offense, it is criminal because of the alleged presence of a minor passenger in the vehicle at the time. The approach to the defense will vary depending upon the charge, but just showing up at a jury trial and hoping for the best is not going to work. A lawyer should have been contacted at the time of the incident, which was probably six months to a year ago. You'll need to schedule a confidential consult with a defense lawyer and discuss the specifics of your case before you can get an accurate estimate of fees, but you are talking thousands, not hundreds, in the amount of lawyer time involved in prepping and taking such a case to trial. You cannot recover your fees against the government if you are acquitted. If you don't have the resources to hire counsel, contact the public defender immediately.
