There are many legal defenses to criminal charges, and most drug charges require the District Attorney to prove several crime elements beyond a reasonable doubt. Some of the best drug crime attorney defenses our Los Angeles criminal defense attorney for drug charges use for Health and Safety Code HS 11350 are: Momentary Possession - Perhaps another person handed you the drug to avoid being arrested for drug possession, and you only had momentary possession. Or perhaps someone left the drug at your home during a party, and you were unaware. This defense is strengthened if your drug possession attorney can show you didn’t do anything to prevent police from finding or taking the drugs. No Possession or Control - Simply being near drugs when you were arrested is not enough to prove you were in possession of drugs. You could have had no possession or control of them. A classic example is if a friend stashes drugs under a seat in your car. Your Los Angeles drug crime attorney can argue they weren’t in your possession or control. Drugs Were Found During an Illegal Police Search - If police found the drugs during an illegal search, you cannot be convicted under HS 11350. Police must have probable cause to search you or a search warrant. If they didn’t, any evidence found can be suppressed. You Did Not Know the Drugs Were There - If your attorney can prove you didn’t know what the drugs were or did not know you had the drugs, you cannot be convicted. For example, if your friend puts drugs in your purse and police find them during a search and arrest. If you didn’t know they were there, your lawyer can use that as a defense. You Had a Valid Prescription - If you had a valid prescription for the drug and the amount you possessed was consistent with the prescription, and it’s purpose, your possession is legal. You Temporarily Had the Drugs to Get Rid of Them - You may be able to possess drugs for a short time in order to dispose of them. Your Los Angeles drug charge lawyer will need to show that you did not dispose of the drugs to avoid discovery and arrest by the police.