You've always followed the law, and you've even been skeptical of people who claim that they went to jail even though they were innocent. Now, you can't believe that it happened to you, and you're pretty sure that it all comes down to that used car that you recently bought. Unfortunately, the laws concerning drug possession charges are fairly lax in most states, and all it takes is being the driver of the vehicle or sitting close to the drugs in question to face serious criminal charges. While being arrested and having your car impounded were bad enough, you now have to prove yourself innocent to clear your name. As soon as you get home, start working on handling your charges by using these strategies:

Gather Important Details

One of your first steps to get the charges dropped is to contact a criminal law attorney that knows how to handle drug possession charges. During your first meeting, they will ask for details of what led up to the charges. For example, they will need to know when you bought your car and who the prior owners were. Try to remember every detail leading up to your arrest, and bring documentation of important information such as the title of your car.

Stay Squeaky Clean

During criminal cases, you can expect for your personal reputation to be scrutinized. Avoid posting anything on social media about the incident since prosecuting attorneys could check this. You will also want to avoid doing any other types of drugs or excessive drinking since testing could be involved in proving your innocence. It is also important to be careful whom you associate with since being caught in another car with drugs will make it harder to defend your case.

Prepare Your Defense

Working with a criminal law attorney gives you a better chance of keeping the drug charges from ruining your future. Although your situation feels bleak, there are a variety of defenses that could be used to prove your innocence. For instance, the drugs could be checked for fingerprints to prove that you never touched them, or a mistake may have been made during the traffic stop that allows you to claim it was an illegal search and seizure situation.

Life is unfair sometimes, and it is possible to be charged with a crime that you did not commit. While you likely checked your used car over for mechanical issues, no one thinks to search it for drugs before driving away. Your reputation and future are worth fighting for, so make clearing your name a priority from the moment that you are charged with a crime you had no interest in committing.