Drug charges of all kinds carry pretty significant penalties in North Carolina if a conviction ultimately occurs. Cocaine-related drug crimes are considered particularly serious. It does not matter if you face charges of simple possession, trafficking or anything in between, all cocaine-related charges are felony offenses.
Probable Cause Hearings and Grand Jury Indictment
North Carolina laws provide three ways by which a case can be prosecuted in Superior Court, which is where all felonies must be tried. The prosecutor may request that a judge find probable cause that the person committed a crime after a hearing in open court. This is called a probable cause hearing. If the District Court judge finds probable cause exists, the District Court judge can bind the person over for a trial in Superior Court.
I've been charged with a Felony, but I have not been Indicted, why?
Often, individuals are charged with felonies and their court dates are set for district court. As many people may know, felonies are typically dealt with in Superior Court and cannot be handled or disposed of through plea or trial in district court.
I've been charged Possession, but I did not have anything on me, how can they charge me? - Actual VS. Constructive Possession of Illegal Controlled Substances
They say that possession is 9/10ths of the law, and in some ways this is very true in criminal proceedings. But there are some good arguments and defenses. Let's run through a couple possible scenarios:
Can I Get Removed from the Sex Offender Registry?
Undoubtedly, the Sex Offender Registry is one of the harshest punishments that continues after or beyond prison. The ramifications and long-lasting effects impact not only the individual but also the person's children, family members and makes finding housing or obtaining employment very difficult.
Field Sobriety Tests - Driving While Impaired
One of the first things we talk about in consultations with new clients is whether they were given field sobriety tests before the law enforcement officer charged them with Driving While Impaired.
