Hiring a Maryland (MD) DUI attorney who understands Maryland (MD) DUI Law can make a difference

Driving Under Influence (DUI) or Driving While Impaired (DWI) are two terms used in Maryland to describe the crime or driving with alcohol in your blood system. You are charged for DWI when your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) is 0.7%, and above that leads to DUI, which is obviously more severe. This crime can have serious consequences if you get arrested in Maryland and it triggers two cases, a criminal charge and a civil license suspension proceeding. In Maryland when a prosecutor convicts you of the crime, it can result in jail time, sanctions, fines, license suspension and a criminal record for life. You are also required to request a hearing within 10 days of your DUI arrest in Maryland in order to prevent your license suspension. Therefore, it is crucial for you to contact and hire a Maryland DWI lawyer as soon as possible after your arrest. If you don't understand legal terms and conditions for DUI, you can get some information from MyDUIAttorney but a DUI lawyer can best guide you through the DUI procedures after reviewing your case. DUI in Maryland is defined to be driving or attempt to drive under the influence of alcohol and DUI per se means having an alcohol concentration at the time of testing to be 0.08 percent or more.

Maryland (MD) DUI Fines and Penalties

First Time Offenders or First Maryland DUI Conviction

Jail Time

First Maryland DUI conviction results up to a jail time of 1 year, and if transporting minor(s), it could go up to 2 years.

License Suspension

6 months minimum

Fine

You will be charged up to $1,000 and up to $2,000 if transporting minor(s)

First Maryland DWI Conviction

Jail Time

First Maryland DWI conviction results up to a jail time of 2 months, and if transporting minor(s), it could go up to 4 months.

License Suspension

6 months minimum

Fine

You will be charged up to $500 and up to $1,000 if transporting minor(s)

Second Time Offenders or Second Maryland DUI Conviction

Jail Time

Second Maryland DUI conviction results up to a jail time of 1 year.

License Suspension

1 year minimum.

Fine

You will be charged up to $500 and up to $2,000 if transporting minor(s)

Second Maryland DWI Conviction

Jail Time

Second Maryland DWI conviction results up to a jail time of 2 months, and if transporting minor(s), it could go up to 4 months.

License Suspension

6 months minimum

Fine

You will be charged up to $500 and up to $1,000 if transporting minor(s)

Third Time Offenders or Third Maryland DUI Conviction

If you have been charged for the 3rd time for drunk driving and have violated the law, charges are serious and you need an experienced lawyer to handle your case.

Jail Time

Third Maryland DUI conviction results up to a jail time of 3 years, and if transporting minor(s), it could go up to 4 years.

License Suspension

1year and 6 months minimum

Fine

You will be charged up to $3,000 and up to $4,000 if transporting minor(s)

Maryland (MD) DUI/DWI Laws

According to the state of Maryland, you are not suppose to drive with a BAC of 0.7 – 0.8 or higher. If you are stopped at a DUI checkpoint by a police officer and he takes a field sobriety test, you should have BAC below 0.7, otherwise it could lead to a DUI or a DWI.

DUI gets even more serious for drivers who are under the age of 21, according to the Maryland state laws, they have a zero tolerance level for young drivers (below 21) and their BAC must not exceed 0.21 other wise their license will be revoked or suspended. Same is the case with commercial drivers, as their BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) should be below 0.4 percent.

My advice to you is, DO NOT drive when you are drunk not only because you will violate the state laws or you could end up in jail or lose your license, it is because think of how many people’s lives you can endanger? Results of DUI/DWI are not only serious in terms of jail time or fines, they are also serious in terms of accidents or injuries that could result due to driving while impaired or while under the influence of drugs.

Drunk Driving Laws in Maryland (MD)

• You get a DUI if your BAC is 0.8 or above
• You get a DWI if your BAC is 0.7
• If you are under 21 of age, you get a DUI if your BAC is 0.2 or above
• If you are a commercial vehicle driver, you get a DUI with BAC of 0.4 or higher.

When DUI Leads to Felony in Maryland (MD)

As there are no hard and fast rules that could actually tell you whether it is a felony DUI or misdemeanor DUI. However, there are certain points that could distinguish between both and tell you what you will be charged with. It is better to do an initial consultation with a Maryland DUI law firm or attorney who will better understand your situation and will help you out of your DUI case.

Misdemeanor DUI

If there is less damage done to the property, or there were no injuries or other severe accidents with your arrest and it is your first DUI, then your case might be classified as a misdemeanor. However, a misdemeanor can lead to fines, probation or a jail time of up to 1 year.

Felony DUI

A case could lead to a felony DUI if:

• There were injuries
• Extensive damage of properties due to an accident
• There was a minor in the car, and drivers BAC was above 0.8
• Driving under the influence of drugs lead to other crimes

For a felony, charges are even more serious. It could lead to pay heavy fines, your license will be revoked or suspended permanently and you will be sentenced to jail for more than a year. You might also receive an order from the court to attend drug rehab program, and install an ignition interlock device at your expense in your vehicle.

There are also other types of penalties in Maryland for life-threatening injury or homicide attempt while under influence. After getting arrested, your license can be suspended in which case you will be given a temporary license for 45 days and request to have this hearing appealed. The license suspension for a second or subsequent offense is 90 days and the suspension for refusal is 120 days for the first offense and one year for subsequent offenses. Many first time offenders can get probation depending upon the alcohol evaluation tests by the judge. As a condition of reinstatement of driving privileges, you may be required to attend a driver improvement or alcohol education program as stated above.

What happens at the Court?

The first court hearing after your arrest is called an arraignment in which the judge will read the charges for the offender and the offender will be asked to enter a plea. If the plea of guilty is not entered, the judge will set a preliminary hearing in which the judge determines if there is enough evidence to support the charges; if there are not, the case will be dropped but if there are then the case will proceed to the next stage of the trial. Defense attorneys can file a motion with the court for pre-trial motion hearing if the attorney wishes to address certain issues prior to a trial. At the trial, a jury will be present who will determine the evidence and issues of fact. If the jury finds the defendant to be guilty then a sentence will be imposed on the defendant who can then appeal to higher courts for review. If defendant is stated to be not guilty then all charges will be dropped.

What Happens If You Refuse to Take An Alcohol Breath or Urine Test?

If you are an offender and refuse or resist taking an alcohol, breath or urine test then you will have to face automatic license suspension for 120 days. Due to DUI, you may have to face higher insurance rates on your vehicle or you may lose your insurance coverage completely. Plus, your DWI penalties can be even greater if your DUI case involved a crash that caused bodily harm or death or if you have a passenger under 18 years of age with you at the time of arrest. In such a case, you can face a fine up to $4000 and jail time of up to four years.

To fully understand these penalties, it is strongly recommend that you hire a Maryland DUI lawyer that you are most comfortable with and who can knowledgeably represent you throughout your trial and court proceedings. You can find a Maryland drunk driving attorney by typing in the city of your arrest above or call our 24 hour hotline 877-HALT-DUI.