Key Takeaways
- A Second Chance: The 90-96 program is a special North Carolina law. It lets first-time drug offenders get their charges totally dismissed without a guilty conviction.
- Simple Possession Only: This program is for people caught with a small amount of drugs or drug paraphernalia. It is not for drug dealers or drug traffickers.
- You Must Do the Work: To get the charges dropped, you have to go on probation, pass random drug tests, and take a 15-hour drug education class.
- The Record Wiper: If you finish the program successfully, the judge throws the case out. After that, we can file papers to completely erase the arrest from your public record.
- We Are Your Champion: Drug charges are terrifying. At Huggins Law Firm, P.C., we know the local prosecutors and judges. We fight to get you into this program so your future stays safe.
Making a mistake does not mean you are a bad person. Sometimes, good people just end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. But when that mistake involves drugs, the police and the courts treat you like a hardened criminal.
Hello, my name is Attorney Micah Huggins. I am the founder of Huggins Law Firm, P.C.. We have been serving the people in our community for over a decade. We are highly rated, and we have won multiple awards. But those awards do not matter when you are sitting in a jail cell. What matters is getting you out and keeping your record clean. We proudly represent the accused in Greensboro, Graham, Burlington, Asheboro, High Point, Kernersville, and Winston-Salem.
Our firm was built on a very simple, powerful slogan: Justice with Integrity. Representation with Heart. At Huggins Law Firm, we believe that great representation goes beyond knowing the law. It is about standing up for people when the stakes are high, when the odds are heavy, and when the system feels totally overwhelming.
Founded by Attorney Micah E. Huggins, the firm was built on a simple conviction: every single client deserves clarity, compassion, and a champion in their corner. Whether you need help with a criminal defense case, a Family Law matter, Estate Planning, or a Personal Injury claim, we bring the exact same level of preparation, precision, and purpose to every case we handle.
We do not just file motions or show up in court. We fight with strategy, we counsel with empathy, and we work to restore what has been lost — your dignity, your stability, or your peace of mind.
Today, we are talking about a lifeline for first-time drug offenders. It is called the 90-96 program. If you or your child just got arrested for drugs, you are probably terrified about the future. Will they go to jail? Will they lose their job? Will they get kicked out of college?
Take a deep breath. Let me explain how this amazing program works and how it can save your life.
Why Are Police in Greensboro and High Point Arresting So Many People for Drugs?
If you feel like the police are everywhere lately, you are right. Drug arrests in our area are going through the roof. The police are cracking down hard.
Let’s look at the real numbers. Very few people know these statistics, but they show exactly what we are up against in court.
According to data from local police scorecards and the Greensboro Police Department, over the last ten years, police in Guilford County made over 55,000 arrests. That is a massive number of people put in handcuffs.
Out of all those arrests, about 8% were just for low-level drug possession. That means thousands of everyday folks are getting thrown in the back of a police car just for having a little bit of marijuana or a drug pipe.
In a recent yearly review, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office reported that drug arrests jumped up by 26% in just one year! The police have special task forces hunting for drugs. Because the police are so aggressive, even a simple traffic stop for a broken taillight can turn into a drug search. If they find anything, they will not let you go with a warning. They will arrest you.
When you get to the Guilford County Courthouse, the prosecutors treat drug crimes very seriously. They want convictions. That is why you need a secret weapon. That weapon is North Carolina General Statute 90-96.
What Exactly is the North Carolina 90-96 Program?
Lawyers and judges just call it “90-96.” It gets its name from the official law book number.
In plain English, 90-96 is a “conditional discharge” program. This means the court makes a deal with you. You agree to follow some strict rules for a few months. If you follow all the rules and stay out of trouble, the judge agrees to completely throw away your drug charge.
It is an alternative to getting a guilty conviction. The state lawmakers created this program because they realized that ruining a young person’s life over one dumb mistake was a bad idea. They wanted to give first-time offenders a chance to learn a lesson without getting a permanent criminal record.
Who Is Allowed to Use the 90-96 Program?
This is a one-time-only deal. You cannot use it if you have a long rap sheet. The rules are very strict about who gets to use it.
To qualify for the 90-96 program, you must meet these requirements:
1. It Must Be Your First Offense
You cannot have any prior drug convictions on your record. Not in North Carolina, not in another state, and not in federal court. If you got a drug charge in Virginia ten years ago, you cannot use 90-96 here today. Also, you cannot have any prior felony convictions of any kind.
2. It Must Be for Simple Possession
The program is only for low-level drug crimes. If you are caught with a small amount of marijuana, cocaine, or pills for your own personal use, you qualify. If you are caught with rolling papers, baggies, or a pipe, you qualify.
3. It Is Not for Drug Dealers
If the police think you were trying to sell the drugs, you cannot use 90-96. Charges like “Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver” (PWISD) or “Drug Trafficking” do not qualify. The program is strictly for users, not dealers.
How Does the 90-96 Program Actually Work?
If we get the prosecutor and the judge to agree to let you into the program, here is exactly what happens next.
You stand in front of the judge and you usually have to plead guilty to the drug charge. I know that sounds terrifying. But do not panic. The judge takes your guilty plea, but they do not enter it into the official system. They hold onto it. They pause your case.
Then, the judge places you on probation. This is usually unsupervised probation, but sometimes it is supervised by an officer from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NC DPS).
While you are on probation, you must complete a specific checklist:
1. The Drug Education School
You must sign up for and complete the North Carolina Drug Education School. This is a state-approved class. It is a 15-hour program that teaches you about the dangers of drugs and helps you make better choices. You usually have 150 days to finish this class.
2. Pass Random Drug Tests
You cannot use any illegal drugs while you are in the program. You will be tested. If you smoke weed while you are on probation and fail a drug test, you will get kicked out of the program.
3. Do Community Service
Many judges require you to do some community service hours. This could mean picking up trash on the highway or working at a local food bank.
4. Pay the Court Costs
You will have to pay for the drug classes, the probation fees, and the regular court costs.
5. Stay Out of Trouble!
This is the most important rule. You cannot get arrested for anything else while you are on probation. If you get into a bar fight or steal something, the deal is off.
What Happens When You Pass or Fail the Program?
Let’s look at the two different paths.
If You Pass:
If you finish your classes, pass your drug tests, and stay out of trouble for the whole probation period (usually 6 to 12 months), you go back to court. The judge looks at your file and smiles. The judge takes that guilty plea from earlier and rips it up. The judge officially dismisses your case. You walk out of the courthouse with no conviction!
If You Fail:
If you skip your classes, fail a drug test, or catch a new charge, you get called back to court for a violation hearing. The judge looks at you and says, “You broke the deal.” Remember that guilty plea you gave at the very beginning? The judge activates it. You instantly become a convicted drug offender. You get a permanent criminal record, and the judge sentences you to a real punishment.
How Does Expungement Work After the 90-96 Program?
Getting the charge dismissed is amazing. But we do not stop there.
Even if the case is dismissed, the original arrest still shows up on a background check. If you apply for an apartment in Burlington or a job in Winston-Salem, the boss will see that you were arrested for drugs. They might not understand that the case was dropped. They might just throw your application in the trash.
To fix this, we file for an expungement. An expungement is a special legal process that totally erases the arrest from the public records. It tells the police and the courts to destroy the files.
If you successfully finish the 90-96 program, you are eligible to get the charge expunged. This gives you a truly clean slate. You can honestly tell a future boss that you have never been arrested.
Why You Should Never Just Plead Guilty to Get It Over With
When folks get arrested, they just want the nightmare to end. Sometimes, a prosecutor will offer a deal: “Just pay a $200 fine today, plead guilty, and you can go home right now. No probation. No classes.”
Many people take this deal because it sounds easy. It is the biggest mistake of their lives.
A drug conviction is a permanent stain. It ruins everything.
- Student Loans: A drug conviction can block you from getting federal financial aid for college.
- Jobs: Most good companies will not hire someone with a drug record.
- Housing: Landlords hate renting to people with drug convictions.
- Your Family: Because we also handle Family Law, we know that a drug conviction can cause you to lose custody of your children in a nasty divorce.
Doing the 15 hours of classes for the 90-96 program is hard work. But it is 100% worth it to save your future.
How Attorney Micah Huggins Fights for You
The 90-96 program is not automatic. The police do not hand you a flyer for it. You have to ask for it, and sometimes, you have to fight for it.
If the prosecutor does not like you, or if the police say you were rude during the arrest, they might try to block you from getting into the program.
That is why you need a champion in your corner. At Huggins Law Firm, we know the judges and prosecutors in Guilford, Alamance, Randolph, and Forsyth counties. We know how to talk to them. We show them that you are a good person who deserves a second chance.
We walk you through every single step. We explain the rules clearly. We counsel with empathy. And we work to restore your peace of mind.
If you or your child got caught with drugs, do not panic. Call us. Let us help you use the law to save your record.
10 of the Most Common Questions Asked About the 90-96 Program in NC
When parents and young adults call our office, they have a lot of questions. Here are the top ten questions we get about the 90-96 conditional discharge program, answered simply.
1. Does 90-96 work for felony drug charges?
Yes! It is not just for misdemeanors. If you are caught with a small amount of felony drugs, like cocaine, heroin, or meth, you can still use the 90-96 program as long as it is your very first offense and it is just for personal use.
2. What happens if I move to another state while on 90-96 probation?
This makes things tricky. You must ask the judge and your probation officer for permission to move. Often, they will allow it, but you still have to figure out how to complete the required North Carolina drug education classes, which can sometimes be done online or transferred.
3. Do I need a lawyer to get into the 90-96 program?
You are not required to have a lawyer, but it is a terrible idea to go to court alone. A lawyer ensures you actually qualify, protects you from tricky questions by the prosecutor, and handles the complicated expungement paperwork after you finish.
4. Will my driver’s license be suspended?
No. If you successfully complete the 90-96 program and the charge gets dismissed, your North Carolina driver’s license will stay perfectly safe.
5. Can I use 90-96 for a DWI or drunk driving charge?
No. The 90-96 program is strictly for drug possession and drug paraphernalia. It cannot be used to wipe away a Driving While Impaired (DWI) charge.
6. What if I fail a drug test from my doctor’s prescription?
If you have a valid, legal prescription from a real doctor for the medicine you are taking, you will not be punished for failing a drug test for that specific medicine. You just have to show the probation officer your pill bottle and doctor’s note.
7. Does the 90-96 program cost money?
Yes. You have to pay the court costs, the probation supervision fees, and the fee to take the 15-hour Drug Education School class. This usually adds up to a few hundred dollars. But it is much cheaper than having a ruined criminal record!
8. How long does the probation last?
It depends on the judge, but it is usually between 6 months and 12 months. As soon as you finish all the classes and pay the fines, we can sometimes ask the judge to end the probation early.
9. Can I get a gun permit if I use the 90-96 program?
If the charge is dismissed through the 90-96 program and then expunged, you will not have a conviction on your record. This means your gun rights stay intact, and you can still buy a firearm.
10. Why should I hire Huggins Law Firm to help me?
We do not treat you like just another case file. We treat you like family. We do all the heavy lifting in court, we keep you organized so you do not miss deadlines, and we handle the final paperwork to wipe your record clean. We protect your whole life.
Do Not Let One Mistake Ruin Your Life
Getting arrested for drugs is a nightmare. But the 90-96 program is the sunlight at the end of the tunnel. It is your golden ticket to a clean slate.
But you cannot walk into the courthouse alone and expect the system to be nice to you. You need a fierce advocate. You need a champion.
At Huggins Law Firm, P.C., we stand ready to fight for you. We will listen to your story, explain your options clearly, and work tirelessly to protect your freedom and your future.
If you are facing drug charges in Greensboro, High Point, Graham, Burlington, Asheboro, Kernersville, or Winston-Salem, reach out to us today.
Visit our home page to learn more about how we can help you. Justice with Integrity. Representation with Heart. We are in your corner. Let’s start building your defense.
