Evidence in a Bucks County Prescription Drug Case
An individual can be the subject of an arrest in Bucks County for having a prescription drug, but not having the prescription with them. However, under those circumstances, at the earliest possible signs of this possibility, an individual should reach out and obtain the services of an experienced defense lawyer.
When such an attorney is involved, they have the ability to reach out to the proper authorities, provide proof of a prescription to both the police and the district attorney’s office, and can attempt to have cases dismissed at the lower level district court level as early on as the initial arraignment of the case. Evidence in a Bucks County prescription drug case can hasten the resolution of a person’s case and strengthen a person’s defense. Timing is everything when avoiding any kind of scar or negative attention to one’s reputation comes in to play. The sooner the case is solved, the quicker an individual can go back to the way their life was and not have any of the negative consequences a drug arrest can carry.
Impact That Proof of a Prescription Can Have on a Case
In most cases, an arrest takes place at the time of an initial stop by police if the individual is in possession of a controlled substance. At a later time, with the use of an experienced Bucks County drug attorney, an individual may be able to use evidence in a Bucks County prescription drug case to prove that the narcotics that they had on them or the prescriptions are valid and lawful with the proper certification of a prescription given to them by a licensed physician. An attorney experienced in the area would then obtain these documents, have them certify it, and provide them to the police, the associated prosecutors, and the magisterial district court judge. Under those circumstances, a case can be stopped from processing or dismissed at that level prior to going to the Court of Common Pleas level in Doylestown.
What Constitutes Evidence in a Prescription Drug Case?
Among the most common evidence that is regarded as relevant in prescription drug defenses, is evidence involving actual prescriptions. An example would be evidence in a Bucks County prescription drug case showing that the prescription drug was in an authorized bottle. The presence of prescription information on the bottle and the presence of a valid prescription can show that the individual who actually possessed that controlled substance had a right to do so lawfully.
Importance of the Amount of Prescription Drugs Possessed
Additionally, when an individual is in possession of prescription drugs in an unlawful manner, which is without a prescription, the amount is essential in determining what if anything can be done with the case. Should an individual have thousands of pills and be caught giving those pills or selling them to other individuals, a person faces significant periods of incarceration, long periods of probation, and thousands of dollars in fines for a conviction of possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance.
Controlled substances include prescription drugs that an individual does not have a right to have. Sometimes these individuals get lost in the system, but the system treats them in the same harsh manner as they do any other illegal drug. Thus, if a person is the target of an investigation, whether it is possession or possession with the intent to deliver a specific amount of prescription drugs, and the evidence suggests that there is no prescription that is lawful, that person should immediately obtain the services of an adept criminal defense lawyer.
Issues in Prescription Drug Cases That Differ From Regular Drug Cases
Prescription drug use is often harder to see than the abuse of street-level narcotics. When prescription drugs are unlawfully obtained and used or transferred to individuals, it is often not a street-level narcotic, so working everyday people often will be involved in that type of crime. In a lot of ways, it is the white collar version of drug offenses. In this case, authorities have to target individuals who are professionals and merely casual users of prescription drugs. It is the most common set of cases that will prevail in Bucks County. Investigating those cases and determining whether or not a person has a valid prescription is often not an easy task.
Prescription drugs are not often sold in the same manner as a small amount of marijuana or cocaine, for instance. They are not sold often at street-level, which is on the streets when dealing with Bucks County. While larger cities adjacent to Bucks County, such as Philadelphia, have a street-level market for prescription pills, it is not likely a market in Bucks County. Prescription pills are often charged in a manner similar to a delivery service. A particular individual will ask that a particular purchase be brought to them in a private fashion when they can make a purchase in a manner they believe calls less attention from law enforcement. However, individuals purchasing prescription drugs through a delivery service are still subject to the same laws, and same penalties which is where a skilled drug lawyer can help. A qualified attorney can use evidence in a Bucks County prescription drug case to build a person’s defense, and defend their case.