An accusation involving drugs in Tennessee could carry with it some serious consequences. There are many different types of offenses, and the penalties for nearly all of them are among the strictest available to the courts.
The first step for those who allegedly broke the law regarding controlled substances would probably be to understand the nature of the crime of which they stood accused. The second step would be understanding the various steps in the criminal justice process.
There are four general types of drug infractions in the Tennessee statute. According to FindLaw, they involve the following actions with controlled substances:
- Possession
- Delivery
- Sale
- Manufacture
Most of the time, people find themselves accused of many different types of charges, and possibly even multiple charges of the same type. The nature and quantity of the accusations along with the alleged criminal's legal history would typically determine the severity of the consequences.
While Tennessee statutes on drug offenses are quite complicated, criminal procedure in Nashville and Davidson County courts are even more so. The official website of the Tennessee State Courts breaks up the rules of procedure into seven main categories, describing a process that begins with the affidavit of complaint and ends with a judgment or appeal. Additionally, there are often negotiations preceding a plea — an important step that could potentially end a case without a protracted public trial.
Statutory law and court procedure are just two elements of any drug crime case in Tennessee. There are other factors involved that may influence the final outcome, including negotiations and case law precedent specific to the alleged offenses. An overhead view of all aspects of the law, both theoretical and practical, is often necessary to form an effective defense against these potentially disastrous charges.