Misdemeanors are considered significantly less serious than felonies, but a misdemeanor conviction can still result in serious penalties. This is surprising to many individuals who are arrested on misdemeanor charges and are alarmed to discover they are now at risk of being sentenced to jail time, not to mention steep financial penalties. By law, minimum penalties for various crimes might not mandate incarceration, but judges have the discretion to impose that sentence. A Drug Possession Defense Attorney becomes essential when someone is arrested for this type of crime in Kansas since the state has some of the harshest laws in the country for misdemeanor drug-related offenses.
Consider the relatively benign action of possessing drug paraphernalia. By law, this type of possession is viewed as intent to possess and use illegal drugs. A person caught with drug paraphernalia for the first time may be sentenced to up to a full year in prison if the judge so decides. The same sentence is possible for possession of a small amount of marijuana. The state does not consider this substance to have any medical value, so claiming use for a health reason is not an effective strategy. It doesn’t matter if the person only is carrying a tiny amount of the drug, the risk of incarceration is still significant. This can be shocking for someone who has moved to Kansas from a state where laws are more lenient. If a person is caught with marijuana a second time, the charge is now a felony. Having legal representation from a Drug Possession Defense Attorney is critical to prevent serious consequences.
With the potential penalties Kansas state law allows for misdemeanor drug offenses, people charged with these offenses are vulnerable to having their lives ruined. A year in jail means losing one’s job and perhaps one’s spouse, children, and home. The individual’s reputation is damaged, and the conviction may make it difficult to obtain employment in the future. Anyone who is dealing with this kind of circumstance may consult a firm such as Addair Thurston, with attorneys who provide aggressive criminal defense. Please visit the website for details.
