Reader’s Question:

My first court date is getting near for my DUI charge here in Germantown, Maryland. What happens if I don’t get a lawyer in time for my arraignment?

Stephan

Germantown, MD

It is definitely okay if you don’t get a DUI lawyer in time for the arraignment of your DUI case in Germantown, Maryland. You wouldn’t have to worry because usually, arraignments are very simple. During the arraignment, your DUI charges are formally read into the court record, then your plea of either guilty or not guilty is entered and you are given another court date.

But there are things that are critical before or during the arraignment of your DUI case like not speaking to anybody about your DUI case. Don’t talk about it to the judge, clerks, prosecutor, and don’t even talk about it in the hallway with your friend. If anyone who is a court officer overhears you say something incriminating about your DUI case, it can be used against you. When your name is already called, simply tell them that you are waiting to speak to your DUI lawyer. You may enter a not guilty plea or the judge will do so on your behalf, and that should be it. Then you would get another court date to appear at a pretrial conference, usually about a month or so in the future.

Tags: DUI, DUI advice, DUI lawyer