If you are facing drug charges the impact of any prior convictions can significantly affect the legal proceedings and outcome of your case. When determining guilt and sentencing, a court will be influenced by a variety of factors including whether or not the defendant has a criminal history. Work with a York County, PA drug crime attorney during your case for skilled representation and assistance.
In What Ways Do Prior Drug Convictions Affect Current Charges?
Having a prior conviction can impact a judge or jury’s perception of you, causing the outcome of your case to sway one way or the other. Consider the below ways that a criminal record can affect your current drug charges.
Enhanced penalties
One of the most significant ways that prior convictions affect current drug charges is through enhanced penalties. Individuals convicted of drug crimes are generally given fines, jail time, probation, community service, rehabilitation, and more. The more previous offenses you have, the worse your penalties will be. For example, a first-offense drug crime may result in probation combined with drug education courses, while a second or subsequent offense may end in multiple years of imprisonment.
Legal options
A first-time drug offender generally has several options that they can employ with the help of their attorney. They may be offered a plea deal where they can plead guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence, or request to go to rehabilitation instead of prison. However, those with one or more prior convictions may not be given these opportunities. The prosecution will likely recognize that the defendant is a repeat offender and charge them with the full extent of the law, using the situation to influence the jury or judge.
Bail
When a judge is determining whether to issue bail and the amount to set it at they will examine the details of the case and individual, including their criminal history. If the defendant has a prior conviction the bail amount may be set higher or it may not be issued at all if the court considers the defendant a flight risk or a danger to the public.
Are Prior Convictions Admissible in Court?
As explained above, having a prior conviction can influence the opinion of a judge and jury and affect the outcome of a case. This can be detrimental to the defendant, sometimes unfairly so. Generally, prior convictions can be admitted in court only if they are relevant to the current case. When deciding whether or not to allow the use of this information in the prosecution’s case, courts will consider the value of the prior convictions in proving the current charges against the potential prejudice that it may cause to the defendant.
Speak to a Pennsylvania Defense Attorney Today
A drug crime conviction can have life-altering consequences. It is important to understand your rights and options when it comes to a second or subsequent offense. Reach out to a skilled criminal defense attorney for more information and legal advice.
