Could You Be Prosecuted for a Drug Crime in Nevada?

If you are charged with a drug crime in the State of Nevada – possessing, selling, trafficking, or manufacturing illegal drugs – you’re going to need the advice and defense representation that a Las Vegas drug crimes attorney offers, and you’ll need to contact that attorney immediately.

When you retain the services of a Las Vegas drug crimes lawyer, in order to defend you effectively against charges that involve illegal drugs, that lawyer is going to need more than merely your own verbal declaration of innocence.

Your defense lawyer will need some type of persuasive evidence that casts doubt on the state’s case against you. To obtain that evidence, your lawyer may ask an expert witness to submit a statement on your behalf or to testify at your trial.

Which Witnesses Are Considered “Expert” Witnesses?

There is no standard legal definition for who is an “expert” witness and who isn’t. Education, experience, training, and specialized knowledge or research experience are generally accepted by the courts in Nevada as sufficient proof of a person’s expertise in a specific field.

In cases that involve drug charges, an expert witness is a person who can offer specialized knowledge and testimony about drug crimes and investigations. This person will have expertise regarding topics such as drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, and the enforcement of drug laws.

What Can You Expect from a Prosecutor’s Expert Witnesses?

The prosecution, of course, will be preparing its case against you and may call on its own experts. As prosecution witnesses, those experts are usually biased in favor of a conviction. In fact, in some cases, a prosecutor’s expert witnesses are paid only if they “deliver” a conviction.

In other words, in drug cases, a prosecutor’s “experts” are often highly motivated to provide testimony that will convict defendants who are charged with drug crimes, and those experts usually have no reason to offer any evidence that may be exculpatory.

How Can an Expert Witness Help Your Defense?

If you are charged with a drug crime and you’re innocent, your own experts may be needed to cast doubt on the testimony of the prosecution’s experts. A Las Vegas drug crimes attorney will know who the appropriate experts are, contact them, and seek their assistance on your behalf.

Expert witnesses can provide jurors with the details, insights, and background knowledge that the average person may not possess regarding drug distribution, drug manufacturing, the effects that drugs have on users, and/or the tactics used by police officers in drug-related investigations.

An expert witness can also help during the preparation as well as the presentation of your defense. In fact, in some cases, when a prosecutor learns that an expert witness will be called to cast doubt on the state’s evidence, the charges against a defendant may be dropped entirely.

What is Your Attorney’s Role in a Drug Case?

In criminal cases that involve drug charges, Nevada defense attorneys frequently solicit the testimony of experts: medical authorities, psychologists and counselors, lab technicians, former law enforcement officers, and other knowledgeable professionals.

A Las Vegas drug crimes lawyer will provide the legal defense, including the expert witnesses and the evidence, that you are going to need. Your attorney’s defense strategy will depend on the details of the case, but generally speaking, these are the defenses usually presented in drug cases:

  1. You were not in possession of the drugs, and you did not know about the drugs.
  2. Police officers violated your rights in order to build the case against you.
  3. You were not trafficking or selling drugs. The drugs were for your own personal use.

Your attorney will determine the strategy that will be most effective for contesting the charges against you. If your rights were violated, your lawyer will move to have incriminating evidence suppressed, and that is sometimes enough to have the charges dropped or the case dismissed.

What Else Will Your Defense Attorney Do on Your Behalf?

In a drug possession or trafficking case, a Nevada criminal defense attorney will:

  1. ensure that you don’t incriminate yourself
  2. act to suppress incriminating evidence or act to have the charge lowered or dismissed
  3. speak to the prosecutor about a possible plea bargain
  4. offer an aggressive and effective defense
  5. if your case goes to trial, defend you in court and explain why you should be acquitted

The State of Nevada prosecutes drug crimes aggressively, but you cannot assume that a drug charge automatically means that you will be convicted. Criminal defense lawyers in Nevada often have drug charges dropped or dismissed and frequently win acquittals in these cases.

Criminal drug charges are often difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecutor may not have sufficient evidence to convict you. A good defense attorney will fight aggressively to cast doubt on the case against you and to win the justice you need and deserve.

Goodwin Law Group Will Provide the Defense You Need

If you’re charged with a violation of Nevada’s drug laws, now or in the future, you will need legal representation at once. Promptly schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation with Las Vegas criminal defense attorney Charles Goodwin at Goodwin Law Group.

Goodwin Law Group represents clients who are charged with drug crimes in Las Vegas and throughout Southern Nevada. Attorney Charles Goodwin will explain how the law applies to your case, protect your rights, and fight to bring the case to its best possible conclusion.

Attorney Charles Goodwin leaves nothing to chance when he works on your behalf. He will consult you about defense strategies and possible plea deals, answer your questions, and address all of your concerns. He is personally dedicated to winning the justice that every client needs.

If you are facing drug charges, call Goodwin Law Group in Las Vegas as quickly as you can at 702-819-8242. If you are innocent, Attorney Charles Goodwin will fight for your freedom, and if you’re guilty, don’t allow one mistake to ruin your future. Let Goodwin Law Group help.