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What to do if arrested for Possession of Drugs or Possession with Intent in Cobb County?

If you are arrested for any drug offense in Cobb County, do not make any statements to the police. You will be taken to the Cobb County Jail. You will be on the first appearance calendar the following day. It is important to have an attorney for this court appearance. The courtroom for the first appearance and bond hearing is in Cobb County Magistrate Court.

At your first appearance hearing, the Cobb County Magistrate Court judge will review the facts in the warrant and your criminal history and will decide whether to issue you a bond or not. The Chief Magistrate Judge is Brendan Murphy. Either Judge Murphy or one of the other Magistrate Judges will preside over your initial hearing. There are a few options regarding bond. The first is they may give you an unsecured judicial release. This allows you to get out of jail without paying any money. The next option is to give you a regular bond where you would have to go through a bonding company to be released. The final option is that they deny your bond. In Cobb County, in most drug cases, bond is set at first appearance.

Once you are released from the Cobb County jail, please ask any person who was with you that night to write out a statement of what they remember happening the night of the arrest. This could be helpful in preparing for the motions hearing and trial in Cobb County Superior Court. It is also important for you to write out a statement of anything you remember regarding the incident. Only give this statement to your attorney.

It is important that you hire an attorney quickly as there are tight deadlines on filing a Motion to Suppress which is a constitutional challenge to the drug evidence. Most drug cases are either won or lost at the Motions hearing. If you wait too long, you will be unable to file a Motion to Suppress.

Being convicted of a felony drug offense in Cobb County carries many consequences, including, but not limited to, prison time, a felony drug conviction on your record, loss of gun rights, loss of voting rights and has a detrimental impact on your securing a loan from a bank or employment.

You are welcome to call us 24/7 at 404-581-0999 and we will be there with you for your First Appearance hearing at the Cobb County jail.

Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, How a Misdemeanor becomes a Felony

I had a misdemeanor amount of weed (less than one ounce) but I am being charged with a felony, what gives?

The Offense

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. §16-13-30(j)(1), “it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, sell, or possess with intent to distribute marijuana.” Even though the police and prosecutor may not be able to prove an actual sale occurred, they will try to discover and introduce circumstantial evidence that the person intended to distribute marijuana.

Circumstantial evidence of intent to distribute can include: scales, empty Ziploc bags, drug paraphernalia, large amounts of cash in different denominations, firearms, division of drugs into individual packages, cell phone data, or a prior conviction of possession with intent to distribute.

Possible Punishment

O.C.G.A. §16-13-30(j)(2) states that anyone violating O.C.G.A. §16-13-30(j)(1) “shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years.” This charge is eligible for probation, but a felony conviction can create issues in obtaining employment, housing, and schooling.

If no defenses are available, certain sentencing options such as conditional discharge or first offender treatment may be available which ultimately result in the case getting dismissed.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime, please contact our office today at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation.

Possession with Intent to Distribute in Georgia Law

If you have been arrested for Possession with Intent to Distribute in Georgia, it is imperative that you hire an attorney quickly. Possession with Intent to Distribute cases often are won by filing a Motion to Suppress. These motions must be filed within 10 days of arraignment. If you do not properly file them, they are waived and you will potentially lose the ability to beat your case.

It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, sell, or possession with the intent to distribute any controlled substance. O.C.G.A. 16-13-30(b).

What does the District Attorney have to prove?

The prosecutor must prove that the Defendant intended to sell or distribute the drug that is in his possession. If you are simply in possession of the drug but not intending to sell or distribute it, then you cannot be convicted of Possession with Intent.

However, even if you possess only a small amount of a drug, you can still be charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute. To prove intent to sell, the State would have to show evidence of baggies, a scale, large amount of currency or other drug paraphernalia. The State could also show it through a prior conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute or expert testimony that the amount was consistent with someone selling it rather than just using for personal consumption.

If you are charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute, please call us at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation. We have offices in both downtown Atlanta and Marietta.