What Is the Long-Term Impact of a Drug Conviction in Florida?

When you’re accused of a drug crime, you might immediately be thinking about jail time, probation, or other immediate consequences. Unfortunately, other penalties may come up that can affect your life for even longer.

What is the long-term impact of a drug conviction in Florida? At Hersem Law, we want our clients to know the answer before they get started with their cases. Knowing the penalties you could face for your future can make a big difference in the direction you choose to go, so we’ll help you understand the impact of a controlled substance conviction before you sign or begin anything.

Debt for Your Court Fines

One of your first long-term penalties may be the fines. Once you’re released from jail, you’ll still have to face the fines that have built up for your drug conviction. In some cases, these could be worth thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, that’s a massive expense for the average person. You may be a fast food worker, a teacher, a retail employee, or even a student. Paying off a fine of more than a thousand dollars can leave you struggling with debt and unhealthy finances for years to come.

Worse, a Florida drug conviction can impact your ability to find employment to pay it off. That makes it much more difficult to recover from a conviction if you choose not to fight the charges.

Indirect Effects of a Drug Conviction

Not every effect of a conviction comes directly from your case. Instead, you could face long-term consequences because of your criminal record. Unfortunately, these consequences can affect your personal life, making it even more difficult to recover.

A criminal conviction will appear on your record, which can be seen during a routine background check. That means that when a potential employer or landlord completes a background check, they are likely to see that you were convicted of a crime. That can affect your chances for better employment or housing.

Keep in mind that you could also lose certain rights. For example, Florida residents convicted of a felony may have their voting rights restored, but this move was only passed in 2018, and it’s already being undermined: Former felons are required to fully pay back fines and fees to the courts before they can vote. Other rights may also be affected, so make sure you speak to your lawyer about defending yourself, not accepting the penalties.

Fight Your Drug Charges with a Florida Lawyer

When you’re facing drug-related charges, it’s easy to assume that probation wouldn’t be so bad or that you can pay the fines. Unfortunately, those aren’t the only penalties you could face for a misdemeanor or felony.

If you’re not sure what the long-term impact of a drug conviction in Florida is, reach out for help from your criminal defense attorney. At Hersem Law, we can help you understand your possible penalties before we help you address your charges. Get started now with a free strategy session, where we’ll go over the penalties you could face and what we can do to help.

When you’re ready to begin, get started with your drug attorney. Give us a call at 813-251-7291 or complete the online form below to get started.