Charged with a Drug Crime in Springfield, IL? The Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers at the Noll Law Office Are Available To Discuss Your Case.
If you are facing drug charges, it is a daunting task to find and hire an experienced and skilled criminal defense lawyer. The State of Illinois and the federal government seek severe penalties in their prosecution of the war on drugs. It takes aggressive defense strategies and effective advocacy to properly represent you in court.
The lawyers at the Noll Law Office have successfully defended simple possession cases up to complex state and federal drug conspiracy cases. No matter what drug crime you are facing, rest assured that the attorneys at the Noll Law Office have the experience and skills required to handle your drug case.
Drug charges can have high mandatory minimum prison sentences. In addition, many people who are charged with drug offenses have underlying drug problems that contribute to their criminality. The Noll Law Office is familiar with alternative sentencing options to prison such as TASC Probation and First Offender Drug Probation.
Speak to their attorneys today and they can let you know how they can help. They offer free initial consultations and have financing options available. They can be reached at (217) 414-8889 or you can use their Contact Us form to submit an inquiry.
What Types of Drug Charges Do You Represent Clients on?
The attorneys at the Noll Law Office represent clients on all types of drug charges in Springfield, Illinois, and throughout Central Illinois. Some of the charges they have successfully represented clients on include:
- Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance (dealing, selling, delivering, importing, and manufacturing cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, or heroin)
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine Possession, Methamphetamine Possession, Heroin Possession)
- Manufacture and Delivery of Methamphetamine
- Possession or Distribution of Cannabis (Marijuana)
- Possession of Methamphetamine Precursor
- Distribution of Cocaine
- Controlled Substance Trafficking
- Conspiracy to Distribute Drugs
- Calculated Criminal Conspiracy
- Possession with the Intent to Deliver Drugs (Cocaine, Crack, Methamphetamine, Heroin)
If you or your loved one has a drug charge in Central Illinois, contact their lawyers today. They are experienced in both state and federal court. So, regardless of where the charges are located, their lawyers can represent you or your loved one.
What Defenses Are Available In Illinois for Drug Charges?
Over the years, the criminal defense lawyers at the Noll Law Office have identified several common successful defenses to drug charges. Not every defense discussed here is available to every defendant. You should always speak to your criminal defense attorney and review the discovery on your case prior to making any major decisions on your case.
That said, the most common defenses available to defendants in drug cases are reasonable doubt, challenging improper search and seizure issues, and finding an alternative sentencing option besides prison or jail (not technically a defense but can prevent a conviction from entering your record).
What Can Be Considered Reasonable Doubt in Illinois Drug Cases?
By far and away, the most common defense in drug cases is reasonable doubt. At its core, reasonable doubt means that the prosecutor cannot prove every element of the offense for which a person is charged. Examples of reasonable doubt include:
- They can’t prove the defendant possessed the drugs.
- They can’t prove the defendant knew about the drugs that were found (normally when they arrest a person who was unknowingly transporting drugs).
- They can’t prove the defendant intended to sell or distribute the drugs (could still be found guilty of possession).
- They can’t prove the substance they found is illegal.
- They can’t prove the defendant agreed to join a criminal conspiracy.
A skilled criminal defense lawyer will be able to examine the facts of the case and determine whether the prosecution has a strong or weak case against you. There are many factors that go into this examination including:
- Did the defendant make an incriminating statement?
- Where were the drugs located?
- What was the quantity of drugs found?
- Was there a confidential informant?
- If there was an informant, was there interaction with the defendant audio and video recorded?
- Were the defendant’s fingerprints or DNA located on the packaging of the drugs?
When the lawyers at the Noll Law Office review the discovery on drug cases, they will be able to answer these questions for you. While ultimately the accused must make the decision on whether they want to proceed forward to trial, the Noll Law Office will provide honest, straightforward legal advice so you may understand the potential risks and rewards of your potentially life-altering decision(s).
Search and Seizure Issues in Illinois Drug Cases
Dealing with police, even if you haven’t done anything wrong and the officers seem friendly, can be intimidating and even scary at times. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer that covers every police search situation, here’s what you need to know when it comes to police requests for searches of your person or property. You do not have to consent to the search of your person or your property.
The Fourth Amendment to the United States’ Constitution provides, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” This Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures from the government.
There is a substantial body of case law that covers improper search and seizures in the State of Illinois which is far too long and vast for these purposes. The important thing to note is that if you believe the police conducted an improper search of you, your home, your vehicle, your business, or any other piece of your property, you should contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer.
The Noll Law Office has significant experience successfully challenging police searches on drug cases. While there is no magic wand to make the drugs go away, the Noll Law Office will conduct extensive research on all legal issues and file all pretrial motions which are applicable to your case. Often, if a “Motion to Suppress Evidence” is granted on a drug case, the government will have no evidence to continue to prosecute the case. This may lead to a dismissal of the charges against you.
There are several important factors that go into whether the police improperly searched you. This list is not complete but serves as a good starting point to analyze whether there was an improper search:
- Was there a valid warrant?
- Did you consent to the search?
- Did the officer(s) have probable cause to stop you?
- Was there a K9 alert?
- How long did the drug dog take to arrive?
- Was there an informant?
- Was that informant reliable?
- Was there body cam or dash camera footage?
These issues really boil down to a case-by-case factual analysis. Just remember that you need an attorney who is familiar with Fourth Amendment jurisprudence to represent you to make sure the prosecutor does not admit evidence that was illegally obtained against you.
Am I Eligible for TASC Probation, First Offender Probation, or Some Specialty Court on My Illinois Drug Case?
Possibly. The determining factors for most of these programs are your criminal history, current charges, and whether the State’s Attorney will agree to your participation. You should speak to a criminal defense attorney who is familiar with these different sentencing alternatives as they may prevent you from doing jail or prison time in addition to potentially avoiding a felony conviction.
For additional information, you can visit our Alternative Sentencing Options Page.
What geographical areas does the Noll Law Office Represent Clients On Drugs Cases?
The Noll Law Office is located in Springfield, Illinois and their criminal defense lawyers have represented individuals accused of drug crimes throughout Central Illinois. Most often, the lawyers at the Noll Law Office will represent individuals accused of crimes in:
- Central District of Illinois (Springfield, Peoria, and Urbana)
- Sangamon County, Springfield, Illinois
- Morgan County, Jacksonville, Illinois
- Logan County, Lincoln, Illinois
- Montgomery County, Hillsboro, Illinois
- Christian County, Taylorville, Illinois
- Macoupin County, Carlinville, Illinois
- Menard County, Petersburg, Illinois
- Cass County, Virginia, Illinois
Do not worry if your case is outside of that geographical area. They still may represent you. Call them today and they can let you know if they can take your case and what the fee would be.
How Do I Find the Right Lawyer for My Case If I Am Charged with a Drug Case?
If you are charged with a drug crime, your future is at stake. You are likely facing a felony conviction, a jail or prison sentence, and fines. In addition, you may be addicted to a chemical substance that is tearing apart your life. Whether it is the Noll Law Office or someone else, you should make sure you have a lawyer who is qualified to represent you in court and help you through this process.
These are some of the questions we recommend you ask a lawyer before hiring them on your drug case:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- How often do you practice where the case is located?
- Do you have experience with the judge and prosecutor?
- How many drug cases have you handled in your career?
- When was the last motion to suppress hearing you did?
- How many Motions to Suppress have you filed in your career?
- Have you handled any like mine?
- When was the last time you represented someone on a drug charge?
- What type of results have you gotten for people in my situation?
- Do you have familiarity with sentencing alternatives like First Offender Probation or TASC Probation?
- Do you go to trial?
- When was the last time you had a jury trial that went to the verdict?
- How many jury trials do you do a year?
- What is your fee?
- Are there any additional expenses I should anticipate?
How Will the Noll Law Office Help Me with My Drug Charges?
If you retain the Noll Law Office, they will:
- Speak to you about your case;
- Review the discovery for any factual defenses which may exist in your case;
- Review the discovery for any suppression issues or other legal defenses which may exist in your case;
- Determine if you are eligible for any sentencing alternative programs;
- Help obtain favorable mitigating evidence which may exist;
- Speak to the prosecutor about any acceptable resolutions to your case prior to trial;
- Take the case to trial if needed; and
- Always act in your best interests.
The criminal defense attorneys at the Noll Law Office in Springfield, Illinois review all drug cases to determine whether the police searched you, searched your home, or searched your vehicle in accordance with the law. They will provide you with honest legal opinions and guide you through the process so that you may obtain the best result possible.
If you have been arrested or charged with a crime, you should contact their lawyers today for a free initial consultation. They have a well-earned reputation in this community for providing excellent legal representation. Don’t believe them? Look at their Google reviews then call (217) 414-8889.