Washington Drug Possession Laws - WA Possession Controlled Substance Penalties

If you are facing a drug possession offense in Washington, we can help you work through the extremely complicated charges you are facing.

Charged with a crime in Washington? Call now. (888) 246-5778.

If this is your first experience with the Washington criminal justice system, you may feel like you have already been convicted. Being arrested, and appearing in court is a difficult and stressful experience. I’m sure you feel a strong loss of control over you destiny.

A defense attorney is there to boost the odds in your direction. We only care about defending your interests. And we do that every day.

We have handled numerous drug cases in the Washington criminal courts, so our experience can be of direct benefit to you. Find out for yourself if we are the attorneys for you in a free legal consultation on your Washington state drug charges.

Washington Controlled Substance Laws (Drug Possession)

In Washington, the term “controlled substance” is applied to all illegal drugs. Some of those drugs include: heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription drugs when not prescribed to the person in possession, ecstasy, marijuana, steroids, methadone, amphetamines, etc.

Possession of a Controlled Substance (not marijuana) – Penalties

If you are found in possession of any controlled substance other than marijuana you will most likely be charged with this offense. Possession of a controlled substance is a Class C felony under Washington law and punishable by up to 5 years in prison and fines to $10,000.

Ref: RCW 69.50.4013

Alternatives to Incarceration

If you are facing prison time, we may be able to help you get a more desirable sentence. In Washington there are a few alternatives to incarceration that the court will consider. When determining if you are eligible for alternative sentencing the judge will take many things into consideration.

It is important that your attorney 1) know about the sentencing alternatives that are available to you and, 2) represent you in a manner that is likely to convince a judge that you are a good candidate for one of these programs.

Probation: The most common alternative to incarceration, probation allows for you to serve your sentence while in the community and under the supervision of a probation officer.

Diversion: Similar to probation in some ways, diversion allows you to complete a term of supervision while in the community. If the term is successfully completed, the charges may be dropped completely.

First Time Offender Waiver: Specifically developed for first time felony offenders, this program allows for you to complete things like community service and drug treatment in lieu of prison time.

Ref: RCW 9.94A.650

Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (DOSA): This alternative focuses on treatment for offenders that may have a drug problem. After an evaluation deems to qualified to participate, your sentence may include inpatient treatment or a lesser prison sentence paired with intensive treatment both while incarcerated and upon discharge.

Ref: RCW 9.94A.660

Washington Drug Arrests – Illegal Search & Seizure ?

One of the things we will thoroughly investigate in your case is the procedures surrounding your arrest. There are very specific laws in place to protect your rights throughout the arrest and search process.

If the police failed to follow these rules of evidence or laws governing arrest, we may be able to get your charges lowered or possibly dropped altogether.

Get a Free Consultation on Washington State Criminal Drug Possession Laws

Many Washington controlled substance / drug possession charges have serious penalty risks associated with them. But any charge can stick you with a permanent criminal record that can affect your future life’s plans.Having a drug conviction on our record can affect you for years to come.

With the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney you may be able to avoid some of these problems. We will provided you with a thorough evaluation of your case, and let you know your best chance to beat the charges against you. We can work through the pros and cons of fighting a case in court, and what you are risking vs. what you can gain. And we will always give you an honest assessment of the challenges you are facing.

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