Driver’s License Suspension And Florida Drug Possession Cases

A criminal charge for drug possession is far from the worst-case scenario when it comes to drug offenses.  When you first contact a criminal defense lawyer, he or she might be relieved to find out that the charges are just simple possession instead of something worse, such as drug trafficking or possession with intent to deliver.  In other cases, criminal defense attorneys are able to negotiate a plea deal where the prosecution reduces the defendant’s charges to simple possession from something more serious.  A drug possession conviction is serious business, however.  Depending on the type of controlled substance and the quantity, a drug possession charge could be a felony, and you could be sentenced to state prison.  Even if it is a misdemeanor, you could still get sentenced to county jail, in addition to a host of other penalties that, even though they are not as bad as incarceration, still feel like a punishment.  Driver’s license suspension is often among the penalties for a drug possession conviction.  A Florida drug offense attorney can help you avoid losing your driver’s license in a drug possession case or get it reinstated as quickly as possible if it is already under suspension.

Drug Possession Cases and Your Driving Privileges

Most drug possession convictions in Florida, whether or not they involve jail time, come with a one-year driver’s license suspension.  Completing a substance abuse treatment program is usually a condition of getting your license reinstated at the end of the suspension period.  Most Floridians rely on their own cars to get them to and from work, so, in some circumstances, the court will make accommodations for this.  Specifically, once you have been complying with the license suspension for six months, you can request a restricted license.  This restricted license will enable you to drive only for purposes of commuting to and from work.

The best way to avoid a driver’s license suspension when accused of drug possession is to enter a pretrial diversion program, also known as drug court.  In pretrial diversion, you will need to comply with court-ordered requirements, including completion of a substance abuse treatment program; if you complete the pretrial diversion program successfully, the court will drop the charges against you.  The advantage is that the court pauses the criminal case against you while the pretrial diversion is going on; this means that, since you have not been convicted, you get to keep your driver’s license.  If you fail to comply with any of the pretrial diversion requirements, the criminal court will continue with its case against you, and you will lose your driver’s license.  The best way to get into a pretrial diversion program is to work with a drug crimes defense lawyer.

Contact FL Drug Defense Group About Charges for Possession of Controlled Substances

A Central Florida criminal defense lawyer can help you avoid driver’s license suspension and other unpleasant consequences if you are being accused of illegal possession of cannabis or other controlled substances.  Contact FL Drug Defense Group in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0322/Sections/0322.055.html