People who are charged with a cocaine offense in Arizona may face several different sanctions. There will be several factors involved, including the number of prior offenses, the amount of cocaine found and whether the person was selling or attempting to sell the drug.
The state generally reserves the harshest punishment for people who are charged with trafficking offenses. Those who are charged with simple possession may have the ability to resolve their cases through Drug Courts, which are an alternative to normal prosecution through the criminal courts. They are reserved for those who are caught with possessing the drug. They work with a team that consists of their treatment providers, probation officers, defense attorneys, prosecutors and judges. The team is responsible for helping the person to overcome addiction issues.
The teams monitor participants’ progress in treatment with regular court appearances and reports. They are voluntary, and teams have both sanctions and incentives at their disposal in order to encourage the person’s progress as they battle addiction issues. Not everyone is eligible for participation in Drug Court, however.
People who are facing criminal charges related to drugs may want to seek assistance from a Surprise drug crimes lawyer who has experience defending these types of cases. When building a defense strategy to be employed before or at trial, legal counsel may investigate whether or not the client may be eligible for an alternative to a sentence to imprisonment. The attorney may also be able to challenge the constitutional nature of the search that led to the seizure of the drugs in order to get the evidence thrown out at trial.