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Criminal defense
Louisville drug charge defense.
Possession, trafficking, paraphernalia, prescription and marijuana cases. Drug prosecutions almost always begin with a search, and searches are where the Constitution does its work. Justin examines how the evidence was found before anything else.
How the police found it matters as much as what they found.
A traffic stop that lasted too long, a "consent" that was not really voluntary, a search of a car or a phone without a warrant, a warrant based on an unreliable informant. Drug cases rise or fall on the Fourth Amendment, and a successful suppression motion usually ends the prosecution. Justin's time as a prosecutor taught him which searches hold up and which do not.
Kentucky drug offenses
- Possession of a controlled substance, graded by the drug and the circumstances. Kentucky has reformed first-degree possession over the past decade to emphasize treatment, with deferred prosecution and probation options for many first offenders.
- Trafficking, which Kentucky defines broadly to include selling, transferring or possessing with intent. The quantity, packaging, scales, cash and messages the Commonwealth relies on to prove "intent" are all contestable.
- Marijuana possession, cultivation and trafficking, which remain offenses in Kentucky apart from the limited medical cannabis program.
- Prescription offenses: possession without a valid prescription, doctor shopping and forged prescriptions.
- Paraphernalia and related misdemeanors that often ride along with a larger charge.
For many possession cases the realistic goal is not a trial but a resolution that gets the charge dismissed after treatment or supervision. Jefferson County has drug court and diversion options, and Justin knows which clients qualify and how to present them.
Common defenses
Suppression of evidence from an unlawful stop, search or seizure. Lack of possession, where drugs were found in a shared car or home and cannot be tied to the client. Challenges to the lab analysis and chain of custody. Entrapment in undercover operations. Weakness in the "intent to traffic" inference when the facts are consistent with personal use.
Collateral consequences
A drug conviction can affect student financial aid, professional licenses, housing, immigration status and employment long after the sentence ends. Justin treats those consequences as part of the case and pursues outcomes that minimize them, including expungement eligibility later.
Federal cases
Larger trafficking cases are sometimes charged in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, where Justin is admitted. Federal cases carry mandatory minimums and a different procedure, and early counsel matters even more.
Common questions
Drug charges: what people ask first.
The drugs were not mine. Does that matter?
Yes. The Commonwealth must prove you knowingly possessed the substance, actually or constructively. Drugs in a shared car, a borrowed jacket or a roommate's bedroom raise real questions of possession.
The police searched my car without a warrant. Can that evidence be thrown out?
Often. Car searches require probable cause, valid consent or another recognized exception. If none applies, a suppression motion can remove the evidence and end the case.
Can I get treatment instead of jail?
For many possession charges, yes. Kentucky law and Jefferson County programs favor treatment-based outcomes for eligible defendants. Justin evaluates eligibility on the first call.
Will a drug charge show up on background checks forever?
Not necessarily. Diversion can lead to dismissal, and Kentucky's expungement statutes cover many misdemeanors and some Class D felonies after a waiting period.
Charged or under investigation?
Call Justin before you talk to anyone else. The first conversation is free.