Powers Landreth

At Powers Law Firm, we specialize in guiding individuals through challenging times. Our team of experienced Charlotte criminal defense lawyers is dedicated to helping people who are facing criminal charges in North Carolina and South Carolina. We understand the stress and uncertainty that comes with these situations, and we are committed to providing you with the best possible legal representation.

Our attorneys have extensive trial experience in a wide range of criminal cases, including DUI and DWI charges, drug offenses, and felony or misdemeanor criminal offenses. We also handle traffic violations and other legal matters that may affect your life and future. With our knowledge, experience, and tenacity, we will investigate your case in detail and explore all of your options to ensure the best possible outcome.

Criminal Defense

We believe that all crimes, whether they are felonies or misdemeanors, must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. This high standard of proof can provide opportunities for a defendant to fight their charge. However, not every potential strategy may be immediately apparent to someone who is not experienced in handling these cases. Our team of criminal defense attorneys in Charlotte and Rock Hill have the expertise and dedication to explore all of your options and provide you with the best possible legal representation.

It is crucial to retain an attorney as soon as you realize that you are being investigated. Sometimes, hiring a criminal defense attorney early in the process can affect whether a prosecutor pursues charges. We are here to help you navigate the legal system and protect your rights throughout the entire process.

DWI Defense

Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs in both North Carolina and South Carolina is a serious crime that can have long-term consequences on your personal and professional life. Most often, people are convicted because their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was above the legal limit. If you are 21 or older, you are over the limit if you have a BAC of.08%. However, if you are a commercial driver, you are over the limit if you have a BAC of.04%.

While DUI is less complex than some crimes, this does not mean that your case is necessarily open and shut. Our team of DUI defense attorneys may be able to challenge the justification for the police stop or the way in which field sobriety tests or chemical tests were conducted. The DUI laws in South Carolina are very specific and sometimes different from those in North Carolina. We are familiar with their nuances and will use this knowledge to your advantage.

Drug Crimes Defense

Both Carolinas prohibit drug possession, drug manufacturing, and drug distribution under their respective criminal laws. Our team of drug crimes defense attorneys can help you fight any of these types of charges. There are six different schedules into which drugs fall, and these will determine the penalties upon a conviction. Schedule I drugs are considered by the state to be the most addictive and dangerous types of drugs, and they are always illegal to possess. Heroin and ecstasy are examples of Schedule I drugs.

Drugs in schedules II, III, IV, and V are increasingly less likely to be used for abusive reasons, and they have more medical uses. These drugs may be legal under certain circumstances, such as use with a prescription. Schedule VI drugs include marijuana and substances related to marijuana. We understand the complexity of drug laws and will work tirelessly to ensure that your rights are protected throughout the entire legal process.

Sex Crimes Defense

North Carolina sex crimes encompass such offenses as child molestation, sexual battery, sexual exploitation of a minor, kidnapping of a minor, and rape. In North Carolina, for example, there are two degrees of rape. In first-degree rape, a perpetrator forces a victim to have non-consensual sex, and another circumstance is present, such as possession of a deadly weapon, a serious injury being inflicted, or the perpetrator being helped by one or more other people. In second-degree rape, a victim is forced to have non-consensual sex, but the victim is not able to give consent, due to incapacitation, mental disability, or physical helplessness.

Consent is often a disputed issue in sex crime cases in either North Carolina or South Carolina, as is the credibility of the witnesses on each side. We understand the gravity of these situations and will provide you with compassionate and experienced legal representation to help you navigate the legal system and protect your rights.