April 21, 2015

Attorney Purav Bhatt wins a preliminary hearing for his client at Branch 38 located at 727 E 111th St, Chicago, Illinois.

A preliminary hearing is your first opportunity to challenge your felony criminal charges. Most cases will pass through the preliminary hearing phase of a criminal case but occasionally cases can be beat at this stage and save individuals time and money in defending themselves against criminal charges.

A young client was charged with felony possession of cannabis and the police had found multiple pounds of cannabis in a south side home. Armed with a search warrant, an army of officers from Chicago Police department and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) stormed into the residence in the early morning hours of April 12, 2015. The defendant was not home but the officers detained and searched multiple women who were present in the residence. Police recovered multiple pounds of cannabis and proof of residence for the defendant. An arrest warrant was issued and my young client turned himself in the next day.

In court, police admitted that the defendant was not home during the search, multiple other individuals lived in the residence and other individuals lived in other units in the building. Additionally, attorney Purav Bhatt got officers to admit that they could not establish that his client was the only individual who had access to the area where the marijuana was found. Furthermore, the proof of residency that police relied on to establish that the defendant lived at the property was months old and no other proof of residency was given.

After the hearing, Judge Valerie Jordan dismissed all charges against attorney Purav Bhatt’s client stating that she found “no nexus” between the defendant an the drugs found.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a drug offense involving cannabis, cocaine, heroin or any other controlled substance it is crucial you have legal representation. Do not walk into court without an experienced criminal defense attorney by your side. Contact drug attorney Purav Bhatt at 773-791-9682 to discuss your case.