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Substance Abuse Experts can help with DUI / DWI cases, drug cases, domestic violence cases and other criminal cases in California.

Many individuals arrested on drug charges in California worry that a jail sentence is unavoidable. However, there are several alternatives available, such as drug court, which can help a California drug offender avoid incarceration. The skilled defense lawyers at the Kavinoky Law Firm are experienced in every aspect of California drug courts and will fight hard to help the offender avoid jail.

A knowledgeable Substance Abuse Expert is an integral part of an effective defense team. Not everyone arrested for being under the influence of drugs, possession, sales, or distribution has a problem with controlled substances, but many do. For those individuals, being sent to drug court can be a life-saving development. An experienced drug expert can identify substance abuse issues and recommend the most effective course of treatment to the court.

Drug courts were developed in the 1990s as a response to rising substance-abuse-related crime that was clogging the court system and overcrowding jails. Their goal is to provide a comprehensive treatment program through a single provider in a process that's overseen by the court.

Under California Penal Code section 1000.5, the criminal proceedings against a drug court participant are suspended while he or she participates in a program of counseling, education, drug testing, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and other requirements. If the offender successfully completes the program, the criminal charges are then dismissed.

California drug court participants receive intensive initial treatment coupled with follow-up care and monitoring that lasts a year or longer. Studies show that drug court participants have a much better chance of staying clean in the long term and are much less likely to commit additional crimes.

Drug court differs from other forms of alternative sentencing such as Proposition 36 and deferred entries of judgment in several ways. An experienced drug defense attorney can explain the sentencing alternatives available and determine the best option for minimizing the consequences of a California drug arrest. Regardless of the charges faced - simple possession or under the influence, sales, distribution, trafficking or manufacturing - there are likely options available to reduce or even eliminate jail or prison time.

The top defense attorneys and Substance Abuse Experts at the Kavinoky Law Firm have defended countless substance abuse cases and have the knowledge and expertise needed to aggressively attack California drug charges. A skilled defense lawyer can explain the options available during a free consultation.