There are certain Stafford County drug charge expectations after a person is arrested on a controlled substance violation. If a person is charged with a drug offense, they may be taken to the magistrate’s office for processing. Their fingerprints could also be taken. However, above all, one should expect to go through a complex process which may require the assistance of an experienced attorney. A Stafford County defense lawyer may be able to help you face these serious charges by helping you build a strong defense.
Following a reported crime, the police investigate and gathered information. They may want to do one of two things next. One option may be going to a magistrate judge for warrants to be issued. Sometimes there is an intermediary step where they could potentially consult with the Commonwealth’s attorney to determine what charges should be issued. But in the first instances, the job of the magistrate is to determine whether there is probable cause for the charges that the police are asking to be issued.
Initially, a drug charge is going to show as a pending matter. A drug charge may show up on a person’s record but will be specified that it is still pending.
A person may have their current employment or employment process affected by a potential pending drug case. Many people who find themselves charged during the time where they are trying to find a job may encounter difficulty with finding a job. It could potentially raise security clearance issues and cause that person to be suspended individually.
For example, if a person is charged with a felony, they may find themselves on pre-trial probation. They may very likely experience immediate consequences in their workplace if their employer finds out and they may be in a more serious process in the short term. A marijuana conviction may be something that is not going to trigger pre-trial supervision, it may or may not trigger all of the other serious consequences that a felony.
Another factor to consider when thinking about Stafford County drug charge expectations are the long-term consequences it could carry. Any drug charge has the ability to have long-term consequences. However, nothing has a more long-term consequence on a person than a felony.
If a person is charged with one of the felony versions of a drug offense, that is something that has the ability to dramatically change their life, not to say that misdemeanor drug offenses cannot have long-term consequences but it fails in comparison to what a felony may do in terms of having it on their record, in terms of the stigma that is associated with that, the ability to find work in the future, and a variety of other ways that it would impact a person’s life.
For help understanding what to expect after a Stafford County drug charge, contact a knowledgeable defense attorney. They could provide guidance and support at every step of the process and help you build a defense. Call today to schedule a consultation.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
