Smith v. United States

Smith v. United States is a legal case where the Supreme Court examined the scope of federal drug law, specifically whether possession of a controlled substance requires actual physical custody or can include constructive possession, such as control or access to the drug without physical holding. The Court ruled that for conviction, prosecutors must prove the defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed the drug, either physically or through control, even if they weren’t physically holding it. The case clarified the standards for establishing possession under federal law, emphasizing that mere proximity or shared space isn’t enough without evidence of knowledge and control.