If you live in Maryland, were vacationing or visiting there, were attending to business in the state, or if you were merely passing through on a journey elsewhere and you were stopped and issued a DWI (driving while intoxicated) or DUI (driving under the influence), you will need to find an experienced Maryland lawyer to help you navigate through the legal proceedings associated with this charge.

A DWI or DUI offense is a serious crime. DUI laws are complicated and complex and vary from state-to-state. DUI laws are constantly changing and being upgraded and so are the penalties that follow a conviction. You need to find a Maryland lawyer licensed and experienced in the field of DUI law to help you as you plead your case before the judge and the Maryland court system.

You must file a challenge, or an appeal, to your case immediately as you only have 10 days to do so after your arrest. If you fail to file an appeal within that timeframe, you will automatically lose your driver’s license without a hearing. Your hearing will be with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

Each state’s DWI and DUI laws are different, to some extent, and the State of Maryland is no exception. In the State of Maryland, you can be arrested for either a DUI or a DWI.

To be charged with a DUI, you have to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher. You can be charged with a DWI if your BAC is measured at 0.07. Regardless, you will need a Maryland lawyer well-versed in DWI and DUI laws to help you sort these charges out and work in your defense.

Your driver’s license will be confiscated if your BAC measurement result was 0.08 or above. If that occurs, you will receive a temporary driver’s license to be used until your court date. If you apply within 10 days for a hearing with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, your suspension could be lifted depending on your circumstances.

First Offender penalties

• Possible jail time, up to two months
• A monetary fine of $500 for your offense
• Additional fines will be assessed for court costs and jail time
• Driver’s license suspension for 60 days
• 8 points on your driving record

Second Offender consequences

• Jail time, up to two years
• Monetary fines up to $2,000
• Driver’s license suspension for 90 days
• 12 points on your driving record

If you are arrested for a DWI or DUI in the State of Maryland, there are also mandatory education class requirements. The programs could be for driver education and/or alcohol education. If you are mandated to attend one or two of these programs, you will not get your driver’s license back until you have satisfactorily attended them.

When, and if, your driver’s license is returned to you, you must also consider the probability that your vehicle insurance premiums will increase.

When you hire an expert lawyer in the field of DUI law in the State of Maryland, he or she will examine your case page by page to make sure there were no errors or omissions by the officers during the time of arrest. Your Maryland lawyer will know what questions to ask when your case goes before the judge. Some areas of concern your lawyer might challenge include:

• What reason did the police officer give for stopping your vehicle in the first place? A police officer has to have a reasonable suspicion of a traffic or other violation before he can stop your vehicle.
• If a BAC measure was taken, was it valid? When was the equipment last serviced? How old or new is the equipment? Has the device been well-maintained or could a flaw in it have altered the measurement reading?
• Who administered the test? Was the person trained and qualified with that equipment to manage the test?

If you are facing a DWI or DUI charge in the State of Maryland , you would be well-advised to secure an experienced and licensed lawyer in the State of Maryland to help in your defense.

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