Drug Possession Case Results in Sumner, TN

Charge

Possession or Casual Exchange (Class A Misdemeanor)

Location

Sumner County, Judge Kee Bryant-McCormick

Allegations

Stopped for an expired registration, the client consented to a vehicle search. Officers found a small amount of plant material and a THCA vape, then issued a citation with instructions to self book. We stepped in early, coordinated processing, and pulled discovery to question whether the substances were truly illegal and how they were tested. Using the client’s clean history and those evidentiary issues, we pressed for a noncustodial outcome. The state agreed to straight probation, avoiding jail and limiting collateral consequences.

Charge

Unlawful Use of Drug Paraphernalia

Location

Sumner County, Judge Kee Bryant-McCormick

Allegations

A routine traffic stop for a registration issue led to a vehicle search after consent was given. Officers found a dugout and a vape, and charged our client with unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. We examined the basis for the stop, the voluntariness and scope of the search, and pressed the state on proving what was actually in the devices. We also documented the client's clean record and cooperation. After negotiations, the state agreed to a plea to straight probation, avoiding jail and keeping penalties limited.

Charge

Possession or Casual Exchange of Marijuana

Location

Sumner County, Judge C. Ron Blanton

Allegations

Stopped for speeding, our client was told the car smelled like marijuana and consented to a search. An officer found a small dispensary-labeled jar in a backpack and issued a citation for simple possession. The client disclosed the contents could be a mix of THCA and marijuana, so we obtained the reports and kept negotiations away from lab testing that could harden the state’s stance. We secured an under-advisement plan requiring a brief online class and no new offenses. Once our client complied and we provided proof, the case was dismissed.

Charge

Possession or Casual Exchange

Location

Sumner County, Judge Kee Bryant-McCormick

Allegations

Police stopped the client for equipment and registration issues and, after a consent search, claimed a rolled dollar bill held cocaine residue. The state filed a simple possession charge under the casual exchange statute. We obtained discovery and demanded lab proof of the substance and a quantifiable amount. We also scrutinized the basis for the stop, the scope of the search, and the length of the detention. Confronted with these evidentiary problems and our intent to litigate them, the prosecution dismissed the case.