Hiring a Maryland DUI Lawyer can represent your best interests after a DWI or DUI arrest. For first-time offenders, being arrested can be a challenging and stressful experience, leaving you with more questions than answers. Qualified attorneys bring clarity to these matters, helping you better understand what is at stake and what legal options are available to you.
Even these misdemeanor criminal matters come with a lifetime of legal challenges that require deep legal expertise and sound representation. Take these matters seriously and exercise your right to exceptional representation from the very beginning.
Article Summary
- DUI and DWI charges require the services of a qualified attorney who can guide you through the state’s legal system.
- Your attorney can represent you, formulating a legal defense that could include reduced charges or the dismissal of your case.
- Conviction of these misdemeanor crimes comes with long-term consequences, including your name appearing in criminal background checks.
DUI & DWI Basics in Maryland
The state of Maryland maintains three different impaired driving charges, including DUI (Driving Under the Influence), DUI (Driving Under the Influence) Per se and DWI (Driving While Impaired). A qualified attorney can explain the differences between the charges and their maximum penalties.
All of the charges come with the possibility of jail time, monetary fines, and several points on your driver’s license should you be convicted. Each charge also comes with the possibility of seeing your license suspended for several months, depending on the circumstances of your case.
Refusing a breathalyzer comes with significant legal consequences as well, including a license suspension of up to 270 days.
All of these charges can lead to your participation in the state’s ignition interlock program, which requires you to have a breathalyzer installed directly within the vehicle. Aggravating factors can influence the consequences you are facing, including your BAC level, whether a minor was present in the car, whether you were involved in a collision, and whether or not you have been convicted of a DUI or DWI before.
Drug-Impaired Driving in Maryland
Drug-impaired driving is also a crime here in Maryland, and individuals will face similar legal penalties if they are found to be under the influence of drugs, including both illegal drugs, over-the-counter, and prescription drugs. Should law enforcement suspect that you are impaired by a substance other than alcohol, they can conduct a field sobriety test or a chemical test to determine if you are impaired. Should you refuse to take part in testing, you can experience similar legal consequences as refusing a breathalyzer.
The legal consequences of drug-impaired driving also come with the possibility of license suspension, monetary fines, and jail time.
What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Maryland
For most DUI or DWI cases in Maryland, you will be arrested, transported to a police station, booked, and then released. You may be required to stay overnight in jail. You will also be given your traffic citations and a 45-day temporary driver’s license, and in some cases, you could face additional criminal charges. Your driver’s license will be subject to an automatic license suspension, which will begin on the 46th day.
To avoid the automatic license suspension, individuals should consult an attorney. You may need to request a hearing from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to review their upcoming suspension or install the Interlock device in your vehicle. An attorney can assist you with making this determination and assist with making the appropriate requests.
You will be required to have a court appearance, which should be completed alongside a qualified attorney. Your attorney can explore the option of a plea deal or determine if your case should head to trial.
Preparing your legal defense should begin as soon as reasonably possible after your arrest. Look to retain the services of an attorney to help you better understand the legal consequences you are facing, but also to provide your attorney enough time to build a sound legal defense.
How An Attorney Can Help
Navigating the legal system on your own can prove difficult and costly, with you experiencing the full legal consequences of these charges. Your attorney works to support your best interests during this difficult time, guiding you throughout the process and considering every detail of your case.
Attorneys provide legal guidance, explaining your options and determining the best possible legal avenues for you. This includes deep research into the details of your case, considering whether or not you were legally stopped by law enforcement, challenging the evidence from your sobriety test, and arguing in favor of a lesser charge.
Your attorney can negotiate directly with prosecutors to help you avoid jail time, or in some circumstances, work to have your case dismissed entirely. Some cases may result in what is called a Probation Before Judgement (PBJ), which can help you avoid the extended legal consequences of having a criminal record. Each case is unique, and you will need to retain the services of an attorney quickly for the best possible results.
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Considering The Long-Term Consequences
Don’t be fooled by misdemeanor crimes being considered “less serious” than felony crimes. Conviction of these crimes will result in your name appearing in criminal background checks, long after you have paid your debts to society. In fact, a DUI or DWI conviction can limit your employment opportunities decades after conviction, or in some cases, limit your ability to find housing. In some cases, conviction can create complex immigration issues for you or limit your ability to travel internationally.
Many individuals convicted of DUI or DWI are dismissed from work, while a driver’s license suspension can impact your ability to complete simple tasks like picking up your children from school. As a result, you need to take these matters seriously the moment you are arrested.
DWI and DUI Expungement
Most DUI and DWI convictions can not be expunged.
Information regarding your DUI or conviction will also appear on your driving record, impacting your ability to find reasonable insurance coverage or see providers refuse to insure you entirely. Record shielding and expungement for DUI or DWI convictions remains complex, and as such, you should explore legal representation as soon as reasonably possible after your arrest.
Reach Out To Jezic & Moyse Today
The team at Jezic & Moyse remains highly capable of serving your best interests after a DUI or DWI arrest. The legal hurdles you are facing are complex, requiring a criminal defense attorney with experience and a track record of success in cases just like yours. We continue to secure favorable case results for DWI and DUI charges across the state, representing individuals just like you throughout every step of the process.
There is no need for you to face these challenges alone, and you are not the first person to make such mistakes. Further, you do not deserve the lifetime of legal consequences that come with these charges. Look to those who have represented citizens across Maryland for decades, offering personalized and dedicated legal representation that considers what is best for you.
Take part in an entirely free, no obligation consultation call to learn more about our services. Simply speaking with us comes at no risk to you, often helping you better understand what is at stake. Call or email Jezic & Moyse at any time, day or night, 365 days a year.
Reach out to us via phone at 240-292-7200 or by email at inquiries@jezicfirm.com. Begin the process today. Contact us now to learn more.