Thursday, October 18, 2007

Maryland DUI Lawyers

A Maryland DUI is one of the most common criminal charges in Maryland. Each year thousands of people throughout Maryland are charged with Driving under the influence of alcohol. As a Maryland criminal defense attorney, I find the majority of the DUI cases that our law office handles, are cases involving law abiding citizens. These are generally people that are gainfully employed, self employed, homemakers, professionals and in some cases public figures. The law in Maryland states if a person have consumed over the legal limit of alcohol and caught driving a motor vehicle, no matter who you are, you will face charges for drinking and driving.

In recent years the number of DUI charges in Maryland have been on a steady increase. Unfortunately for those who decide to drink and drive and are caught, the punishment for a DUI charge has become more severe. If you are arrested for a DUI in Maryland you face several different penalties.

These penalties include:
  • 1st offense - 1 year in jail and/or $1000 fine (Charged as a misdemeanor)
  • 2nd offense - 2 years in jail and/or $2000 fine (Charged as a misdemeanor)
  • 3rd offense - 3 years in jail and/or $3000 fine (Charged as a Maryland Felony)
  • 12 points on your MVA record
  • Loss of license
  • Probation
  • Mandatory Alcohol classes
  • Community Service
When a person is pulled over and charged for a DUI in Maryland certain things prior need to happen prior to the arrest. The arresting officer will typically ask the alleged victim to step out of the car because he is suspicious of drinking and driving. At this point the officer will ask you to take certain test called "field sobriety tests." These tests often times can very demanding and difficult to pass. Often times an arresting officer will ask to administer a Breathalyzer. A breathalyzer is used to measure your blood alcohol content (BAC). If you decide to blow in one of these apparatuses and the result is .08 or over you will immediately be arrested and charged with a DUI.

Field Sobriety Tests include:
  • Walking in a straight line
  • Walking in a straight line and turn
  • Standing on one leg
  • Pen eye test
  • Counting on your fingers
  • Finger to nose
Our Maryland DUI lawyers have years of experience handling DUI cases throughout the state of Maryland. In fact, as criminal defense attorneys, we find that most of the cases we handle are those of a DUI charge. When our defense attorneys handle DUI cases we first establish how the arrest was made and if certain procedures and processes during and after the arrest were performed correctly by the arresting officer. When we begin putting together a course of action we will build a defense strategy against both the arresting officer and prosecution team. Depending upon the circumstances and evidence of hand our DUI defense attorneys will evaluate:
  • Whether you were illegally stopped
  • How the arrest was made
  • Where you properly advised of your legal rights
  • Were you aloud to seek legal representation prior to questioning
  • Did the arresting officer correctly administer the field sobriety test
  • Did you receive or asked to take a Breathalyzer within the right time frame
  • Was the apparatus used for the breathalyzer properly maintained and not outdated or malfunctioning
  • Was there probable cause
  • Proper protocol
  • Did the police assume you were under the influence, intoxicated or impaired
Our Maryland DUI defense attorneys have a successful track record in getting positive results for both MVA and criminal hearings. We will provide aggressive defense representation and always fight to get you the best possible result. While our attorneys are tenacious Maryland trial attorneys we also thrive at negotiating with prosecution. Depending upon the circumstance often times we are able to get charges reduced, probation, placed in special programs to avoid a jail sentence (more common with 2nd & 3rd offenses) and dismissals.

Our Maryland DUI lawyers are experience in finding procedure and protocol mistakes by police and technical gaps in the prosecution. We will aggressively use these mistakes to your advantage. Our main goal is to get each of our clients the best results because we understand that a conviction of a DUI can be devastating. If you are currently facing charges for drinking and driving and seeking representation for this charge, contact our Maryland DUI lawyers today for a free consultation.

Maryland DUI Offices
Phone: 410.620.0443
Email: lawguy4@yahoo.com

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