Jefferson County, Washington

Drug Charges and Weapons Charges Lawyer

The Law Office of Thomas E. Weaver

Although they may seem different, the legal issues surrounding drug charges and weapons charges are very similar. Criminal investigations involving drugs and guns almost always fall into two basic categories—illegal possession or illegal delivery or distribution.

For those charged with illegal possession, whether it is a simple misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession or a felony weapons charge, your defense will concentrate on will usually come down to one of three areas:

1. Challenging the search that resulted in evidence being used against you

2. Challenging your 'actual' or 'constructive' possession

3. Challenging whether you actually knew that you were in possession of the
illegal item(s)

For those charged with illegal delivery, many other issues may be present. These include challenging the credibility of the police informants and other witnesses, critiquing the investigative techniques of the police officers, and examining the physical evidence, such as finger prints and tape recordings.

At the Law Office of Thomas E. Weaver, we understand both the long-term as well as the short-term consequences of a drugs or weapons arrest. Our goal is to minimize the effect of the arrest on your life now and in the future. Our dedicated criminal defense lawyers have won appeals and defended clients in these cases throughout the state of Washington.

In many of these cases, an illegal search and seizure of evidence is at the heart of the prosecution's case. Our lawyers are familiar with all of the relevant state and federal precedents concerning search and seizure law and your Constitutional rights. And we are also skilled at challenging issues like probable cause and the credibility of confidential informants.

The legal concept of possession is another defense that we use in these cases. Actual possession means refers to items that are in your physical possession at a given time. Constructive possession means having dominion and control over something. Possession is not to be confused with ownership; it is possible legally to possess an item that you do not own. It is also possible in the eyes of the law for two people, as in the case of a driver and a passenger, to legally possess an item at the same time. Nonetheless, the issue of possession is full of potential problems for the prosecution.

Although they may seem like apples and oranges, drug charges and weapons charges almost always fall into two basic categories—possession or distribution. Likewise, the options for defending your rights against either a simple misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession or a felony weapons charge will usually come down to one of three choices:

1. Challenging the search that resulted in evidence being used against you

2. Challenging your 'actual' or 'constructive' possession

3. Challenging whether you actually knew that you were in possession of the
illegal item(s)

At the Law Office of Thomas E. Weaver, we understand both the long-term as well as the short-term consequences of a drugs or weapons arrest. Our goal is to minimize the effect of the arrest on your life now and in the future. Our dedicated criminal defense lawyers have won appeals and defended clients in these cases throughout the state of Washington.

In many of these cases, an illegal search and seizure of evidence is at the heart of the prosecution's case. Our lawyers are familiar with all of the relevant state and federal precedents concerning search and seizure law and your Constitutional rights. And we are also skilled at challenging issues like probable cause and the credibility of confidential informants.

The legal concept of possession is another defense that we use in these cases. Actual possession means ownership—it's yours, you have it, you know you have it, and so forth. Constructive possession means having dominion and control over something whether it happens to 'actually' be yours or not. It is also possible in the eyes of the law for two people, as in the case of a driver and a passenger, to legally possess an item at the same time. Nonetheless, the issue of possession is full of potential problems for the prosecution.

Before you talk to the police, talk to Tom.

For a free consultation and to learn more about what we can accomplish for you, contact a proven Washington drug charges attorney at the Law Office of Thomas E. Weaver today.