L and L Law Group defends Texas state and federal drug cases — possession, PWID, trafficking, conspiracy.
Texas drug penalties depend on the substance's Penalty Group, the quantity possessed, and any aggravating factors. The table below summarizes possession penalties under TX Health & Safety Code §§481.115-.121.
Source: TX Health & Safety Code Ch. 481. Drug-free zones (§481.134) trigger automatic enhancements.
L and L Law Group defends Texas state and federal drug cases — possession, PWID, trafficking, conspiracy. Article 38.23 suppression, lab challenges, drug-court alternatives. Free 24/7. (214) 466-1398.
L and L Law Group is a Frisco-based criminal defense firm. Reggie London prosecuted in the Dallas County District Attorney's Office before joining the defense bar; Njeri London is the firm's managing attorney. Together they have defended thousands of cases across Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, and the surrounding DFW counties. We answer the phone at any hour because that is when most cases need defense work.
“Texas drug cases are won and lost on the search. Every traffic stop has a moment where the officer either had legal authority or did not. Finding that moment in body-cam footage is what separates a defense lawyer from someone who just shows up at court.”
“I worked the Dallas County drug docket. The State files in volume because the volume hides the weak cases. A defense file that pulls every search affidavit and tests every consent claim breaks more cases than any single dramatic motion.”
This page was written and reviewed by Njeri London, State Bar of Texas No. 24043266, and Reggie London, State Bar of Texas No. 24043514. Last reviewed: April 2026.
Texas drug cases under Health & Safety Code Chapter 481 are graded by Penalty Group and weight, ranging from Class B misdemeanor (under 2 oz of marijuana) to first-degree felony life sentences (PG-1 over 400 grams). Federal trafficking under 21 U.S.C. §841 carries mandatory minimums. L and L Law Group defends both.
Texas drug cases live or die on the search. Every traffic stop has a moment where the officer either had legal authority or did not. The same is true of every consent search, every warrant, every "plain view" claim. Code of Criminal Procedure Article 38.23 excludes from trial any evidence obtained in violation of the U.S. or Texas Constitution. Successful suppression typically ends the State's case entirely.
The work happens in the body-cam footage, the search-warrant affidavit, and the consent-form language. Franks v. Delaware challenges target false or material misstatements in the affidavit. Consent-form challenges target language indicating the consent was not voluntary. Inventory-search and "plain view" claims have specific elements that the State must prove.
Many DFW counties operate pretrial-diversion programs and specialty drug courts that can convert a conviction-track case to a dismissal-track case. Eligibility varies by county and offense. Collin County has among the most generous first-offender drug diversions; Dallas County operates a drug-court program for qualifying offenders; Tarrant County has more limited diversion but expanded under recent administrations.
SB 731 (2023) materially expanded record-clearing eligibility for many drug cases that were previously ineligible. We screen every drug case for both pre-disposition diversion and post-disposition sealing.
Texas drug-free zone enhancement under Health & Safety Code §481.134 adds one offense level when the offense occurred within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, or youth center. The State must prove the location element and many enhancements fail at the proof stage. We litigate the GIS data and on-scene measurements.
Federal prosecution typically requires interstate, large-quantity, or organizational evidence. State and federal authorities sometimes coordinate on cases that cross thresholds (5g meth, 28g crack, 1kg heroin, 100 marijuana plants). The forum decision affects exposure dramatically — federal cases lack parole and have mandatory minimums under 21 U.S.C. §841.
Every Texas drug case lives or dies on the search. We walk through the stop, consent, or warrant on the first call and identify the constitutional ground for challenge.
Lab reports, search-warrant affidavits, body-cam, dash-cam, chain-of-custody records. Franks challenges to the affidavit. Hemp-versus-marijuana lab confirmation. Affirmative-links analysis on shared-space possession.
Article 38.23 motions to suppress under Texas and federal constitutional grounds. Successful suppression typically ends the State's case for lack of admissible evidence.
Pretrial diversion (Collin County and select others), drug court, treatment-track, dismissal of drug-free zone enhancements under §481.134, charge reduction, or deferred adjudication where facts support it.
Lab-tech cross-examination, expert toxicology where needed, full trial workup. After resolution, we screen for SB 731 expanded sealing and nondisclosure eligibility.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★“Federal traffic stop, 600 grams of meth in the trunk. I figured I was looking at fifteen years. They got the search thrown out under the Fourth Amendment and the entire case collapsed.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★“Possession with intent in Plano. The State wanted state jail. They got me into the deferred-adjudication program, and after eighteen months everything sealed under SB 731. My background is clean.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★“My son got caught with weed at school. They handled both the criminal side and the school disciplinary hearing. He kept his record clean and his place at the magnet program.”
Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts and applicable law.
Texas categorizes controlled substances into Penalty Groups under Health & Safety Code Chapter 481. PG-1 (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, oxycodone), PG-1A (LSD), PG-1B (fentanyl), PG-2 (PCP, MDMA), PG-3 (Xanax, Valium), and PG-4 (codeine compounds). Penalties scale by group and weight.
No. Recreational and medical marijuana remain criminal under Texas law except for limited medical-cannabis use under the Compassionate Use Program (Health & Safety Code Chapter 487). Hemp containing under 0.3% THC is legal under federal and Texas law and has produced many marijuana-case dismissals when lab analysis confirms hemp.
PWID (Health & Safety Code §481.112 for PG-1) is a more serious charge than simple possession because it requires only circumstantial evidence of intent — quantity, packaging, scales, ledgers, large cash, multiple phones. Texas does not require an actual sale to charge PWID. Defense work centers on the intent element.
Yes. Many DFW counties operate specialty courts for drug-related offenses, including drug court, DWI court, mental-health court, and veterans court. Eligibility varies by county and offense; participation requires a plea but typically results in a non-conviction outcome upon successful completion.
Federal prosecution requires interstate, large-quantity, or organizational evidence. Trigger thresholds vary by drug: 5 grams of meth, 28 grams of crack, 1 kilogram of heroin, 100 plants of marijuana. Federal cases run on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and have mandatory minimums under 21 U.S.C. §841.
Yes. Texas nursing, medical, education, real-estate, and pharmacy boards all have reporting requirements and can impose sanctions for drug-related convictions. The trigger is often the conviction, not the conduct, so charge structure during plea negotiation matters greatly.
Yes — through "constructive possession" under Texas Penal Code §1.07. The State must prove knowing possession through "affirmative links" (proximity, ownership of the location, presence of paraphernalia, statements). Affirmative-links challenges are central to many Texas drug defenses.
Under Health & Safety Code §481.134, drug offenses within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds, or youth centers carry a one-degree enhancement. The State must prove the location element; many enhancements fail at the proof stage.
Texas drug cases typically resolve within 4 to 12 months for misdemeanors and 6 to 18 months for felonies. Federal drug cases run 12 to 24 months. Lab analysis backlogs at DPS labs can extend timelines significantly.
Engagement fees vary based on charge level (misdemeanor possession versus felony PWID versus federal trafficking), county, complexity of the search, and trial likelihood. We offer free consultations and flat-fee pricing with payment plans.
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Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.
L and L Law Group, PLLC attorneys are licensed in Texas. Njeri London (Texas Bar No. 24043266) is the attorney responsible for the content of this page. Reggie London (Texas Bar No. 24043514). None of the attorneys at L and L Law Group, PLLC are Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization unless specifically and separately stated.
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