Plano Drug Crime Defense Lawyer

Search and Seizure

If you believe that law enforcement officials overstepped their legal boundaries during your arrest or while you were under investigation for a drug crime, it's crucial that you seek representation from a Plano drug crimes defense attorney to defend your Fourth Amendment Constitutional rights. If a drug crimes defense attorney from Zendeh Del Law Firm successfully argues law enforcement was in violation of your rights, any evidence obtained from that illegal seizure cannot be used against you at trial.

Fourth Amendment Rights in Plano

As citizens we have a constitutional right against unlawful search and seizure. The Fourth Amendment states:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizure, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

In other words, in order for law enforcement officials to legally search your person, home, and (with few exceptions) your vehicle, they must have either voluntary consent to the search, a legal search Warrant, or probable cause.

What are my search and seizure rights?

Illegal searches have been known to occur when drug enforcement seizes cash or property after mere allegations of drug activity. Many times law enforcement tries to skirt Fourth Amendment rights by tricking or intimidating people into giving them "consent" to search either person, car, or home. If a law enforcement officer asks you if he can search your car or look in your trunk, you have a right to simply say "No." Many times officers will then threaten to get a warrant, or try to coerce you by saying that they will call in a search dog, but you still have the right to say "no".