Drug Charges Lawyer
Charged with a drug offense? We challenge illegal stops and searches, test the lab work, and pursue diversion, a reduction, or a dismissal, protecting your job and your future. Free consultation.
Free consultation. No obligation.
Types of drug charges we handle
We defend misdemeanor and felony cases: simple possession, possession with intent to sell, sale and delivery, trafficking based on weight thresholds, prescription fraud, and paraphernalia. Whether the allegation involves cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, opioids, or prescription medication, we organize facts early to influence filing decisions in Miami-Dade.
Florida drug laws and penalties
Penalties depend on the substance, amount, and circumstances. Trafficking statutes impose mandatory minimums at set weights, while first-time possession cases may qualify for diversion or treatment court. We assess eligibility quickly, aiming to avoid convictions that jeopardize employment, licensing, or immigration status in Coral Gables and communities across South Florida.
Defense strategies that work
We attack unlawful stops, searches, and seizures; challenge warrants and informant reliability; contest constructive possession (knowledge and control); and verify lab testing and chain of custody. When negotiation creates the best outcome, we press for charge reductions, withhold of adjudication, or alternative resolutions that protect your future. For arrests tied to vehicle stops, our team coordinates with DUI defense strategy when impairment is alleged.
What a real drug defense looks like
It starts with the search. Most drug cases turn on whether the stop, the search, or the seizure was lawful, and on whether the State can prove you knew about and controlled what was found. I file the motion to suppress when the facts support it, and I argue it. I briefed and argued a suppression issue before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, in United States v. Jones, No. 14-0071/AR.
Common questions
What are the penalties for drug possession in Florida?
They vary by substance and amount. Cannabis without a valid card, cocaine, MDMA, opioids, and controlled pills all carry different ranges, from misdemeanors to felonies. We analyze the charge level, the diversion options, and the steps to protect your record.
Can first-time drug charges be dropped in Miami-Dade?
Often, yes, through diversion, pretrial intervention, or drug court for eligible defendants. We pursue programs that end in dismissal, or negotiate a reduced charge and a withhold of adjudication.
Can police search my car without consent?
Only if an exception applies: probable cause, a valid warrant, an inventory search, or another narrow one. If the stop or search was illegal, the evidence can be suppressed. We challenge the stop, the detention, and the search to weaken the State's case.
What's the difference between possession and intent to sell?
Intent cases often lean on quantity, packaging, scales, cash, or messages, and trafficking charges are based on weight thresholds with mandatory minimums. We test every element, knowledge, dominion, control, and the lab results, to push for a reduction.
Will a drug conviction affect my job or immigration status?
It can. Certain convictions put professional licenses, student aid, housing, and immigration outcomes at risk. We prioritize outcomes that avoid a formal conviction where possible and tailor the strategy to your specific concerns.
Rooted in Coral Gables. Admitted throughout Florida.
The office is on Galiano Street, two blocks off Miracle Mile. Most of the work is close to it: Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and the Keys. We take cases anywhere in the state.
- Coral Gables
- Miami-Dade
- Broward
- Palm Beach
- The Florida Keys
- All of Florida
Talk to a Coral Gables attorney
Tell us what happened. We will tell you what deadlines are already running, what the matter is realistically worth, and whether we are the right firm for it. Including when the answer is no. Free consultation. No obligation.