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Dallas Drug Lawyer

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Defending Against Drug Charges in Dallas, TX

Drug charges in Texas hold a heavy weight. Texas is arguably one of the toughest states on criminal drug charges. If you’ve been arrested for drug charges in DFW you need to contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Having a drug defense attorney defending you is essential in the outcome of your case.

RJ Harber is a former prosecuting attorney and now Dallas criminal DWI defense attorney that has seen many drug cases, and from both sides. Mr. Harber has the expertise in Dallas drug laws to guarantee that your case is handled the best it possibly can be.

Call our offices at (214) 389-1189 to get a free case evaluation today.

Types of Cases We Handle

Dallas, TX Drug Offense Laws

In the Health and Safety Code, Chapter 481 Texas Controlled Substance Act, drugs and narcotics are defined as…

(16)  “Drug” means a substance, other than a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device, that is:

  • (A)  recognized as a drug in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, official National Formulary, or a supplement to either pharmacopoeia or the formulary;
  • (B)  intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or animals;
  • (C)  intended to affect the structure or function of the body of man or animals but is not food;

(29)  “Narcotic drug” means any of the following, produced directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of vegetable origin, independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a combination of extraction and chemical synthesis:

  • (A)  opium and opiates, and a salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of opium or opiates;
  • (B)  a salt, compound, isomer, derivative, or preparation of a salt, compound, isomer, or derivative that is chemically equivalent or identical to a substance listed in Paragraph (A) other than the isoquinoline alkaloids of opium;
  • (C)  opium poppy and poppy straw;  or
  • (D)  cocaine, including:
    • (i)  its salts, its optical, position, or geometric isomers, and the salts of those isomers;
    • (ii)  coca leaves and a salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of coca leaves;  and
    • (iii)  a salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of a salt, compound, or derivative that is chemical

The Health and Safety Code in section (38) also describes “Possession” as means actual care, custody, control, or management.

Drugs are classified into groups; for example…

  • 1  ) Cocaine, Heroin, Hydrocodone,  Oxycodone
  • 1A) LSG
  • 2 ) Ecstasy, PCP
  • 3 ) Valium, Xanax
  • 4 ) Morphine
  • …and many more

Drug Possession Penalties

Penalties for classified drugs include but are not limited to:

Class 1

Amount Offense Fine Jail
Less than 1 gram State felony No more than $10,000 180 days to 2 years in jail
1 gram- 4 grams Third degree felony No more than $10,000 2 years to 10 years in prison
4 grams- 400 grams Second degree felony No more than $10,000 2 years to 20 years in prison
200 grams- less than 400 grams First degree felony No more than $10,000 5 years to 99 years in prison
400 grams or more Enhanced first degree felony No more than $100,000 10 years to 99 years in prison

Class 1A

Amount Offense Fine Jail
Less than 20 units State felony No more than $10,000 180 days to 2 years in jail
20 units to less than 4,000 units Third degree felony No more than $10,000 2 years to 10 years in prison
80 units to less than 4,000 Second degree felony No more than $10,000 2 years to 20 years in prison
4,000 units to less than 8,000 units First degree felony No more than $10,000 5 years to 99 years in prison
8,000 units or more Enhanced first degree felony No more than $250,000 15 years to 99 years in prison

Class 2

Amount Offense Fine Jail
Less than one gram State felony Up to $10,000 180 days to 2 years in jail
More than 1 gram to less than 4 grams Third degree felony Up to $10,000 2 years to 10 years in prison
More than 4 grams to less than 400 grams Second degree felony Up to $10,000 2 years to 20 years in prison
400 grams or more Enhanced first degree felony Up to $50,000 5 years to 99 years in prison

Class 3 & 4

Amount Offense Fine Jail
Less than 28 grams Class A Misdemeanor Up to $4,000 No more than a year in jail
28 grams to less than 200 grams Third Degree Felony Up to $10,000 From 2 years to 10 years in prison
200 grams to less than 400 grams Second Degree Felony Up to $10,000 From 2 years to 20 years in prison
400 grams or more Enhanced First Degree Felony Up to $50,000 From 5 years to 99 years

Along with any of those charges, due to the Texas Controlled Substances Act, the state of Texas could even suspend your license for up to six whole months. Don’t like those numbers? RJ Harber’s main priority is to ensure that you have the best legal representation possible in your case.

Charged with an a drug offense? Contact the Law Offices of RJ Harber

The Law Offices of RJ Harber are a Dallas-based private law practice defending the citizens of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. As a Dallas-native and former Dallas County prosecuting attorney, RJ Harber is the best Dallas drug attorney to represent you in your case. Call our firm at: (214) 389-1189.