Getting pulled over by a police officer can be unnerving no matter what but when it is because you have been driving while under the influence, it can cause a person to want to feel like they need the help of a top-rated DUI lawyer Maryland residents can turn to in situations like yours.
Maryland and the surrounding areas are full of bars where people can blow off steam after a long hard day at work or school. It can be hard to get home in the evenings on public transportation because of schedules and more limited routes. Many people have to get into their cars to get to their homes once they get back to their neighborhoods. Because of these and other reasons, many people will opt to drive into work because it takes less time and feels like less of a hassle. Unfortunately, many people who just have had a few drinks before hitting the road are pulled over and arrested for drunk driving.
People who are convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) face both criminal penalties, fines, and license sanctions.
A police officer may request that you submit to a field sobriety test or portable breath test if he or she suspects that you are drunk. If you are arrested, the officer is supposed to advise you of your rights and provide you with a form, Advice of Rights, before requesting that you submit to a chemical blood alcohol concentration test (BAC test). This test measures the amount of alcohol present in a 100 mL volume of blood. If there is alcohol present in your system at a 0.08% BAC or higher, you can be charged with a DUI. You can be charged with a DWI if your BAC is 0.07% or higher. Even if you are far below 0.07% BAC but fail a field sobriety test, an officer can give you a DWI charge based how he or she judges your behavior and how sober or intoxicated you are.
Regardless of whether you are innocent or guilty of your charges, or if you are not really sure if you are, you may appreciate talking to a DUI lawyer Maryland is fortunate to have in its midst. This may help you to feel like you can make more informed decisions about how to move forward from this awful experience.
When a person is convicted of a DUI for the first time in Maryland, their license can be suspended, they need to pay a fine, they may be given up to one year in prison, they get points on their license, and they have to pay any moving or parking violations they were given after being charged. On a second DUI offense, the amount of time a person’s license is suspended and the amount of the fines they have to pay are higher. Once they have gotten their license back, in order to drive legally they need to have a device installed on their steering wheel that will not let them turn on the ignition until they have blown into it without alcohol in their system. There is a minimum sentence of five days in prison with a maximum of two years. Points are taken off of their license and they must participate in an alcohol abuse assessment program.
A person who is convicted of a DWI faces similar but less severe punishments (i.e. less amount of time a license is suspended, lower fines, less jail time, less points on your license, etc.)
If you have been arrested for a DUI or DWI, contact a compassionate DUI lawyer Maryland community members can trust at Cohen & Cohen
