Reader’s Question:

Is there a way that I can avoid serving time in jail after my DUI arrest here in Bowie, Maryland?

Frank

Bowie, MD

A DUI arrest could mean paying hefty fines, having a suspended driver’s license and even serving time in jail. If you are facing a DUI charge in Bowie, Maryland, you have to hire the best lawyer you can afford and make sure that the lawyer has experience handling DUI cases. A lawyer who specializes in DUI arrests would know the legal loopholes and defense strategies to help you avoid jail. You also have to know the laws because each state has different DUI laws and they are constantly changing.

You also might want to attend a treatment program and DUI school. You can avoid jail time in Maryland by participating in various programs. You would also have to challenge even the smallest details of your DUI arrest. Small technicalities could spell out the difference between community service and serving a prison sentence. Also, remember that your pocket can also suffer if you get convicted. Not only that you have to pay fines and have jail time, a DUI can also have an impact on your car insurance so you have to do everything to avoid a DUI conviction.

Tags: car insurance, DUI, DUI arrest, DUI conviction, DUI penalties

Reader’s Question:

How do I choose the right auto insurance company after I have been dropped by my previous provider because of my DUI charge here in Dundalk, Maryland?

Jason

Dundalk, MD

Choosing the right auto insurance company after you have been dropped by your previous insurer because of your DUI charge in Dundalk, Maryland can be a challenging task. There are some points that you have to remember when selecting an auto insurance company. The first thing that you have to make sure is that the insurance company is licensed in the state of Maryland because not every company is licensed to operate in each state. If the insurance company is licensed in Maryland, you can then rely on the state insurance department to help if there is a problem.

The other thing that you would have to consider is the price because there are a lot of companies that sell auto insurance policies and their prices vary greatly from one another. It would pay to shop around and get at least three price quotes from agents, companies and Internet. You may start your search for the right auto insurance company by getting free online premium quotes from this website.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance quotes, DUI

Reader’s Question:

My cousin has just been charged with DUI here in Ellicott City, Maryland and he already posted bail through a bondsman. What if he skips or does not appear in court for his arraignment or trial?

Jeff

Ellicott City, MD

Appearing in court in a DUI case trial is a very serious and important matter. If your cousin who has been charged with DUI in Ellicott City, Maryland skips after a bondsman posted bail, the bondsman could arrest him or authorize a bail enforcement agent or private investigator to do so for the purpose of surrendering him into custody to ensure his future appearance in court. It is said that this kind of extraordinary power of a bail bondsman is of ancient origin. When the bail is given, the principal is considered as delivered to the custody of his sureties.

The list of people who are authorized to arrest a bail fugitive include a certified law enforcement officer, someone who is licensed by the State to do so (includes someone who holds a bail license in another state and authorized in writing by the bail or depositor to make the arrest), someone who is contracted and authorized in writing by the bail or depositor to do so, a Bail Recovery Agent and a private Investigator. These people are called bounty hunters, but the term doesn’t fit the facts of today’s world, they’re acting under contract.

Tags: bail bond, DUI, DUI lawyer, DUI trial

Reader’s Question:

Hi, my name is Elena, I live in Gaithersburg, Maryland and I’m very much curious about the one-leg stand that is used as a test in a DUI arrest or something. Could you please explain to me how this test is being done and how would this be related to being under the influence?

Elena
Gaithersburg, MD

The one-leg stand is said to be one of the dreaded divided attention tests. Presumptively, highly trained scientists have assessed that driving is a divided attention task which means that it requires you to do two things at once. Assuming that you get arrested for DUI in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in doing the one-leg stand, the police officer would ask you to observe him and follow his instructions. He would also ask you if you have any injuries or physical impairments that would prevent you from standing on one leg. He would tell you to stand with your feet together and your hands at your side.

The officer would demonstrate the one-Leg Stand for you; he would stand with feet together and hands at his side. Then he would raise one of his feet approximately six inches off the ground with his knee straight, would point his toe, then look at his toe and counts to thirty by one thousands or one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand and so on. If you have not fallen down at this humiliation, he would then tell you to start. The clues that the officer is looking for as signs of being under the influence would be losing your balance during the instructions, starting during the instructions, swaying, putting your foot down, raising your hands more than six inches from your side, hopping. Hypothetically, the more clues that you have, the drunker you are.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer, field sobriety tests

Reader’s Question:

I have read that in some DUI cases here in Baltimore, Maryland, blood alcohol test has been proven inaccurate. What are the things that could affect the results of the blood alcohol test?

Robert

Baltimore, MD

Apparently, laboratory testing errors could occur in blood alcohol testing in measuring the blood alcohol content for someone who is suspected for DUI. This can actually render any test result inaccurate. But the most significant concern for blood alcohol testing is whether the test is of the “blood serum” or of the “whole blood.” Police crime laboratories in Baltimore, Maryland would test the “whole blood” and would produce the blood alcohol content (BAC). But several clinics and hospitals test only the “blood serum,” which results in a BAC that can be 25% - 33% higher than a “whole blood” test result.

Blood alcohol test results could also not be helpful or inaccurate if rubbing alcohol is swabbed before drawing the blood sample. The person may also have high blood ketones, as in diabetic ketoacidosis which could affect the result of the test. It can also have an effect on the test results if the person takes herbal supplements and cough medicines that contain alcohol, such as kava or ginseng.

Tags: blood alcohol test, DUI, DUI lawyer

Reader’s Question:

My sister has just been recently charged with DWI here in Maryland. I wasn’t told by the details of what really happened but I was told by my mom that her case involves an aggravating factor and this could mean more serious than a normal DWI case. What does mean if they say that she has an aggravated DWI case? Does she need to hire a DWI lawyer?

Neal

Silver Spring, MD

There are a lot of aggravating factors that could be involved in a DWI case. In the state of Maryland, it will be considered an aggravated DWI if the defendant had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .18 percent or above, had an accident that caused partial or total disability or even death, having a child in the car, if it resulted in property damage exceeding a certain amount (often $500), or if the driver has prior (and relatively recent) convictions for drunk driving. If your sister is involved in this kind of DWI case, she should hire a specialized DWI lawyer. This kind of DWI lawyer will be able to guide her about the latest developments in the DWI legal framework and rules.

To educate you more on the DWI law in Maryland, a DWI charge actually entails two different cases. One would be the administrative driver’s license action and a court case. In the administrative driver’s license action, your sister may lose her driving privileges. There may be partial or complete suspension of her driver’s license. Even worse situation would develop if her case is proved to her disadvantage in court. This may entail her to face jail term and also pay financial penalties. If it’s true that there are aggravating factors involved in her case, it will increase her penalties and punishments. All the more reason why she should hire a DWI lawyer.

Reader’s Question:

My daughter is so afraid because this is the first time that she was charged for DUI. She was arrested in Maryland and she wants to know what are the things that she needs to do and the things that she needs to avoid. Thanks.

Sidney

Baltimore, MD

Thousands of drivers are charged with DUI every year. There are some things that they should do and some things they should avoid doing. The things that should be taken if charged with a DUI arrest in California are many and will cost time and money, to say the least.You are risking being stopped for driving under the influence if you are out having fun and consuming alcohol and then get behind the wheel of your car.

A critical step is seeking legal help. You need to find an experienced lawyer in Maryland that knows all of the laws concerning DUI and also has a proven record with DMV. That is because there will not only be a hearing for DUI charge in criminal court but there will also be one at DMV. The attorney needs to be aggressive in daughter’s driving privileges. There are a lot of good lawyers around in Maryland and I’m sure you are out to find one.

For now, the only thing I would suggest that your daughter should not be doing is to mix drinking and driving together.

Reader’s Question:

This is my second DWI arrest in two years. I served six months of jail time because of my first offense. I’m not worryied about the fees that I might be paying. All I need to know is how long I would have to stay in jail if I get convicted for DWI again in Maryland.

Aaron

Baltimore, MD

The effect a DWI has on the drunk driver and his or her family could be very dramatic in Maryland. Aside from the humiliation, the offender would have to pay court costs, lawyers fees, and worse is possibly the loss of income necessary to support a family.

If you are not so much concerned about the financial consequences, I’m sure you will pay attention on the social consequences of your case if you will be convicted for the second time for DWI.

In the state of Maryland , a second DWI conviction may have up to one year in jail, a suspension of a driver’s license of 180 days to two years, and I would still have to mention, up to $4,000 in fines.

Reader’s Question:

I am Frank from Baltimore, Maryland. My son who is 25 years old was arrested for a DUI offense. I want that my son will be free from these charges. What are the cases that we need to face and win in order to be free from this mess that he is in?

Frank, Baltimore MD

Frank,

I was in your shoes a year ago when my daughter was arrested for a DUI offense. The Maryland DUI lawyer that we hired told me that there are two cases that my daughter should face one is a criminal case and the other one is an administrative case.

As explained by our lawyer, a criminal case simply means that my daughter is going to face criminal charges as well as penalties for the offense charged against her. As for the administrative case, it deals more with the suspension of the driver’s license.

Like any father who sees his own son or daughter facing criminal charges and administrative case, we always do the best we can in order to get out from that mess. I would suggest that you should get a very competent Maryland DUI lawyer. These two cases: criminal and administrative, require in depth knowledge in law as well as the needed legal experience to win both cases. I hired the best Maryland DUI lawyer in town that is why my daughter is out now, had learned her lesson and became a responsible driver.

Reader’s Question:

I am kinda new to Aspen Hill and quite often my colleagues at work invite me for drink or two right after our shift. I am skeptical to join them or not since I always drive myself home after work or when attending special occasions from invitations of some friends. I don’t want to disappoint my colleagues the next time they will invite me. Is Driving Under the Influence in Maryland a serious offense?

Sarah, Aspen Hill MD

Sarah dear,

Whatever state you are living in DUI or DWI, still it is an offense that the government is taking drastic measures in order to prevent accidents caused by DUI or DWI.

As far as I can remember, here in Maryland, there are two types of offenses, these are Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or Driving While Impaired. Of the two offenses, DUI is more serious compared to DWI.

I was told by my husband that here at Maryland, first time offenders for DUI the penalties are :

1. Suspension for driver’s license for 45 days
2. Fine is $1,000
3. Jail time is up to 1 year
4. Upon conviction 12 points is added to the driving record of the offender

Second Time Offender for DUI:

1. Increase of fine to $2,000
2. Jail time is up to 2 years

First time offender for DWI penalties are:

1. Suspension of driver’s license up to 60 days
2. Fine is $500
3. Jail time is 2 months
4. An addition of 8 points to the driving record of the offender

Second Time Offender for DWI:

1. Fine is $500
2. Jail time up to 1 year.

With the given details in relation to the penalties, it is very clear that DUI penalties are higher than DWI in terms of fine, jail time and additional point to the Maryland driving record of the offender.

If I were you girl, going out with colleagues at work is okay as long as you don’t drive your self home when you have taken in alcohol to your body. As mentioned above for the penalties, might it be for DUI or DWI, the penalties say for themselves. Jail time and additional points to your driving record will definitely change your life as much as it did to my friend who has been convicted of DUI a month ago.