The following is taken from an interview with a Loudoun County drug lawyer who discusses how out of state residents are charged for drug violations and why it is often a good idea to hire a local attorney. Call today to schedule a consultation and discuss your case.
Because of the evolving nature of the population of Loudoun County, law enforcement officers and prosecutors are not out to give the benefit of doubt to someone travelling to Loudoun County from that area where drugs, especially marijuana, may be legal. They hold it to be the person’s responsibility to know that once they enter Virginia or Loudoun County they are subject to the laws that are here. So for travelers entering Dulles Airport, for example, having marijuana on them or in their luggage even though it may be legal where they are coming from still means they have responsibilities and therefore will be prosecuted if possessing that in Virginia.
For out of state distributors of drugs, law enforcement and prosecutors are very aggressive because they view that as an attempt to harm their local community. This is obviously appropriate because one of the main goals of prosecution and law enforcement is to protect. When outsiders come in and attempt to sell drugs, they really want to work hard to keep the drugs out. So from that perspective, outside providers of drugs or marijuana are prosecuted very aggressively.
If someone is charged with a drug related offense in Loudoun County, the absolute best thing that they can do is talk to an experienced attorney that handles criminal defense cases. Frankly, it is important to contact an attorney who is not simply a litigation attorney or possibly a trial attorney but someone who has experienced in handling criminal defense cases in Loudoun County. There are a lot of very specific case laws that are evolving. The statutes are always changing. The law enforcement techniques and the prosecutorial techniques are changing, so to have someone who has got their finger on the pulse is very important. It is very important if you or a loved one is charged with a drug related offense to contact a criminal defense attorney right away.
It is important to hire an attorney with local experience for drug cases because nobody else will be able to have insider knowledge as to the specific workings of the judiciary, of the specific prosecutorial techniques, as well as law enforcement techniques. They will be able to assist you in understanding if negotiating is appropriate or trial is appropriate. They will also have a good understanding of whether or not plea offers are a good bargain, because all cases that have offers are based on the circumstances that are present in your case and in light of how the given judiciary may react to the facts.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
