A drug crime conviction has the potential to affect every facet of your life. That’s why it’s of utmost importance that you hire a drug crime attorney to help reduce the likelihood of a conviction. Our criminal attorneys in Grand Rapids and Ionia will aggressively defend your rights so you receive a fair trial.
In the meantime, here are some of the main consequences of being convicted of a drug crime. If you have any questions, please schedule a consultation with one of our law offices.
Most people who are convicted of a drug crime are sentenced to spend time behind bars. The length of your jail or prison sentence will depend on the drug, the amount you were caught with, and your intentions. For example, smoking marijuana while living in an apartment is a lesser crime than transporting large supplies of heroin across state and national borders.
The good news is that our drug crime attorneys are ready to help with your case. They have experience with cases similar to yours and will work to minimize jail time for drug crimes.
A criminal record is permanent. This means that you won’t be able to escape the long-term consequences of a drug crime conviction. When you have a record, it can be difficult to find housing, employment, or loans. This is because many individuals and companies use criminal background checks to screen people. For example, many landlords or property leasing companies will run a criminal background check before they consider renting to you.
The vast majority of Americans depend on their cars for their independence. Once you lose your driving privileges, it’ll become much harder to get to work, go grocery shopping, or do anything else that involves traveling outside of the home. Depending on the state you live in, your driver’s license may be automatically suspended as soon as you’re found guilty of a drug crime.
That being said, many states have scaled back on driver’s license suspensions. But we still recommend that you speak with your criminal defense attorney to determine how a drug crime conviction may affect your driving privileges. Not being able to drive after getting out of jail or prison can severely limit your ability to re-integrate with society.
If you are , you will be responsible for paying fines. The more serious the crime, the more money you’ll have to pay. For example, possession of marijuana is less serious than trafficking drugs across state and national lines. You could end up paying thousands of dollars in fines for drug possession or possession with intent to distribute.
If you’re interested in pursuing higher education, it’s important that you know how a drug crime conviction affects your eligibility for federal student aid. For this reason, it’s vital that you have a dedicated drug crime attorney on your side.
Once you’re convicted of a drug crime, it will appear on your permanent record. It will also make you ineligible to receive student loans backed by the government. While you may still be able to apply for private loans, these typically have higher interest rates than their federal counterparts.
A lot of college applications also require full transparency about any criminal convictions. This includes convictions for drug crimes.
Our drug crime attorneys in Grand Rapids and Ionia, MI, will do everything in their power to help you avoid a conviction. To request a legal consultation, please call Peterson Paletta Balice. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
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