DRUG LAWYERS BRISBANE

HOW WE WILL HELP YOU

Free First Consultation

We will not  charge you for your first consultation with one of our drug offence lawyers. We are confident once you speak to us you will want us to represent you. Call today for your free confidential consultation with a drug lawyer.

Fixed Fee

We will offer you a fixed fee so you know up-front what your legal fees will be. A fixed fee gives you certainty about what we will charge you to help you with your legal problem. There are no hidden fees. We believe in being upfront with our clients about what they will be charged.

Professional Advice

Our lawyers have extensive experience in drug charges. We have represented clients charged with various drug offences from the most minor possession to trafficking. We will give you professional and expert advice about your drug charge. We will explore any defences you may have open to you.

Best Result

When you engage Craven Lawyers to represent you, our drug lawyers aim to achieve you the best result. This may mean getting your charges dropped, keeping you out of jail when pleading guilty or convincing the jury you are not guilty. We will tell you what you can do to help minimise the penalty you will receive if you plead guilty.

DRUG CHARGES IN BRISBANE

What are the common drug charges in Brisbane?

The most common drug offences police charge people with are:

• Possessing a dangerous drug.
• Supplying a dangerous drug.
• Trafficking in a dangerous drug.
• Producing a dangerous drug.

What is a dangerous drug in Brisbane?

The Queensland Drugs Misuse Act has a definition of what are dangerous drugs in Brisbane. As you will see from the definition, it is very broad. For example, if you had possession of a thing which had the same pharmacological effect as cannabis, then it would be deemed a dangerous drug.

The definition of “dangerous drug” in the Drugs Misuse Act (Qld) is as follows:

dangerous drug means—

(a) a thing stated in the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987, schedule 1 or 2; or

(b) any part of a plant that is a thing stated in the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987, schedule 1 or 2; or

(c) a derivative or stereo-isomer of a thing mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b); or

(d) a salt of a thing mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (c); or

(e) an analogue of a thing mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (d); or

(f) a thing that has, or is intended to have, a pharmacological effect of a thing mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (e); or

Note—

See also section 4BA for when a thing is intended to have a pharmacological effect of a thing mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (e).

(g) a thing mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (f) that is contained in—

(i) a natural substance; or

(ii) a preparation, solution or admixture.

How can you lower your penalty if you plead guilty to a drug charge in Brisbane?

When a Judge or Magistrate sentences a person for a drug charge they decide what penalty they will impose. There are various penalties open to a Judge or Magistrate when sentencing a person for a drug charge. Penalties for drug charges start at drug diversion and go up to jail time.

If you plead guilty to a drug charge you want to achieve the lowest penalty possible. A way you can help yourself achieve the lowest penalty is by doing things the sentencing Judge or Magistrate can consider in your favour.

When being sentenced for a drug charge there are several things you can do to help minimise the penalty. The Court wants to know if you have completed any rehabilitation from the time you were charged by police to the day of your sentence hearing.

Things you should consider doing include the following.

1. Character References

You should get references from persons who know you well. These persons can include employers, friends and family members. A reference will give the sentencing Judge or Magistrate an insight into the person you are. If this is the first time you are being convicted for a drug offence, the persons providing the references can say the offences are out of character for you.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHARACTER REFERENCES. 

2. Clean Drug Tests

If you have stopped using drugs, you should consider obtaining some clean drug test results. Clean drug tests are the best way to show the Judge or Magistrate you are no longer using drugs. You may need a referral from your General Practitioner to get the tests done. You can get drug tests done through Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology and QML Pathology. By the time of your sentence hearing you should aim to have several clean drug tests completed over a period of time. This will show the Judge or Magistrate you have abstained from taking drugs for sometime, rather than just before your Court date.

3. Drug Rehabilitation Program

Completing a rehabilitation program will show the Magistrate or Judge you are serious about your rehabilitation.

Courts are concerned persons do not re-offend.  By completing a rehabilitation program this will give the Court comfort you will be less likely to re-offend. For sentencing, this may be the difference between a person being sentenced to a suspended sentence, rather than being placed on parole.

There are many programs available, some are paid services and others are free. Below are links to programs you may find of some benefit.

The Banyans –https://www.thebanyans.com.au/brisbane/

The Hader Clinic- https://haderclinicqld.com.au/

QUIHN- http://www.quihn.org.au/

Headspace- https://headspace.org.au/

Salvation Army- https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/need-help/addiction-rehabilitation/

Drug Arm Australasia- https://www.hoa.drugarm.com.au/

4. Medical, Psychological or Psychiatric Report

If you have a history of mental health or serious medical conditions, they may be relevant for your sentence hearing. The way lawyers present these issues to the Court is by way of a report. Your treating medical practitioner can write a letter or report to be provided to the Court. Even if you have not been treated for mental health issues in the past, a psychologist can be engaged to prepare a report. This report may identify issues in your past that may have led or contributed to your offending. It could also identify mental health issues you are unaware of that may have also led or contributed to your offending.