Mississippi Criminal Lawyer

Criminal Defense

Criminal defense refers to the defense of a person accused of a crime or of a person being investigated for criminal activities. There are many crimes that require criminal defense lawyers. Some of these include murder, burglary, arson, embezzlement, credit card fraud, domestic violence, child abuse, computer crimes, drug offenses, and sex offenses.

If you have been charged with a criminal offense in Jackson, Mississippi, you need lawyers that will fight for your rights. To find the lawyers who understand the law and will strive for a fair trial, contact Coxwell & Associates in Jackson, Mississippi and speak to one of our lawyers today.

DRUG ARRESTS:

Frequently we have a client who contacts us regarding a matter where they have been arrested for a drug charge. There are two different jurisdictions that people can be charged with drugs. The first is within Mississippi state courts. The second place a person could be charged is Federal District Court. The penalties for both are severe and representation is a must in both cases.

DRUGS CHARGES IN MISSISSIPPI STATE COURTS:

Mississippi State Courts are often very tough on citizens charged with drugs, even when it is only a small amount. Within state courts there are two avenues that prosecutors approach drug cases. The first determination that they make is to decide how much of the substance exists.

If the amount of drugs in question are for personal use then more often than not an individual will be charged with a misdemeanor. Misdemeanor amounts for some of the following common drugs are classified as follows:

Marijuana: In an amount that is 30 grams or less.

Cocaine: In an amount less than 0.1 grams or one dosage unit can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor.

Crystal Meth : In an amount less than 0.1 grams or one dosage unit can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor.

Ecstasy: In an amount less than 0.1 grams or one dosage unit can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor.

Paraphernalia: Is considered a misdemeanor, persons charged with paraphernalia usually have a pipe or syringe in their possession

It does not take much of these drugs to elevate the prosecution’s case from a misdemeanor to a serious felony.

The penalties range for misdemeanor amounts of a controlled substance from no jail time at all, to a small fine of a few hundred dollars to millions of dollars and fines and decades in jail.

This is especially true when a person is charged with sale of a controlled substance or a person is found in possession of a gun along with the controlled substance or when the person has a prior drug offense.

Our office has handled hundreds of cases that involve drug related charges. The one thing that we want to make clear to those who seek our assistance is that we are not here to judge you or tell you what you should have done. Our job is to represent you and do everything in our legal and ethical power to get these charges against you dismissed.

DRUG CHARGES IN MISSISSIPPI FEDERAL COURTS:

The federal system in Mississippi is set up to fight very hard against individuals charged with drug crimes. It is one of the most common crimes that the federal courts in Mississippi deal with. Our office has worked on countless drug related cases in Mississippi federal courts.

The consequences for drug crimes in Mississippi federal courts are very severe. After some recent United States Supreme Court cases So much so that even a person found in possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine or a mixture containing 5 grams or more containing cocaine base can carry a sentence of 5 years to 40 years according to the United States Code. You can see this lengthy amount of time by looking up Title 21 of the United States Code Section 841. Larger amounts can guarantee decades in jail if you are not represented by counsel.

This office is dedicated to representing the liberty rights of individuals above all else. Having an attorney to represent you through these stressful times is essential and we guarantee that we will do everything within the law to represent you to the best of our ability, with the ultimate goal of getting your charges dismissed.