If you get pulled over and drugs are found in your car, you will need a Drug Crime Lawyer Grand Rapids, MI relies on who can defend you against a charge involving drugs.
Although getting pulled over isn’t the same thing as getting arrested, a traffic stop is still a seizure of everyone in the vehicle and so the police must comply with constitutional requirements. For instance, an officer cannot just pull you over because he or she feels like it. There must be proper justification for the stop. There are two possible reasons that could justify pulling you over: the officer has reasonable suspicion that you have engaged in or are about to engage in criminal activity, or the officer has probable cause to believe that you have committed a traffic violation. An experienced drug crime lawyer will know what to look for to determine whether the stop in your case is constitutionally valid.
If you have drugs in your car, you may be even more nervous than normal. It is important to remain calm and comply with the officer’s requests. The officer may ask for your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance for the vehicle. He or she may also conduct a search of your personal information and/or your vehicle’s information in the Law Enforcement Information Network. You can be asked to exit the vehicle.
You should always be polite and respond to questions regarding your information, but if the police officer asks for your consent to search the vehicle, it is within your rights to decline. You do not need to grant the officer permission to search your vehicle. There are circumstances in which a police officer may be able to search without your permission, for instance, if there are drugs or other plainly criminal items in your vehicle or the officer has obtained a valid warrant. If you consented to a search, a drug crime lawyer may be able to challenge the consent if it was not voluntary, or if the detention was not lawful when the consent was given.
If the officer is unable to search the vehicle, either because he or she does not have a valid reason, or you have not granted permission, then you might be able to leave with the drugs undetected. The officer cannot extend the traffic stop without probable cause, even to call for back up from a unit with a drug sniffing dog. A traffic stop is limited in purpose to explore the purpose of the stop and cannot last long than necessary to effectuate that purpose. Evolving circumstances may dictate how long the traffic stop can last.
A Drug Crime Lawyer successful in challenging the traffic stop in your case could result in a dismissal of the charges against you or have a positive impact on the outcome. As a drug crime lawyer Grand Rapids, MI can count on, the Blanchard Law attorneys will look at the unique factual scenario your case presents and assess what the best possible defenses are for your case. Call (616) 773-2945 to speak to an attorney about your case.