DUI And Drug Charges In Maryland

In this article, you will discover:

• Evidence skilled DUI attorneys use to strengthen your DUI case.
• The amount of marijuana that can cause a problem in Maryland.
• How taking initiative early on can improve the outcome of your drug offense case.

Do I Need A Criminal Defense Attorney If I Plan To Plead Guilty To A DUI Charge In Prince George’s County?

If you don’t really care what happens to you after you plead guilty to DUI, you don’t need an attorney. If you want to fight the charge or you want to get a fair deal for pleading guilty, then you want to hire an experienced attorney. You want somebody on your side that knows how to get you a fair offer. Someone who knows how to challenge the whole case and make the state prove everything at trial.

I have had DUI charges dismissed multiple times because of strategical tactics I employ, such as defects in discovery. For example, the state gives me the officer’s body-worn camera with a narrative written by the officers. I spend a few hours going through this to figure out what exactly happened. I take notes on which officers are required to testify to what things. I can sometimes use that to get a technical dismissal. If there are three officers involved, but only two of them go to court, perhaps the third is the only one that can testify to these specific things. I know if that guy doesn’t testify, the state’s case crumbles.

It depends on how much you care and want to get out of the charge. How much do you want a fair outcome? If you do whatever the prosecutor wants you to, they’ll ask you to plead to the highest charge with the highest penalty. They won’t give you a real chance to argue to a judge to mitigate your circumstances and get a fair outcome.

What Are The Most Common Drug Charges Your Firm Handles In Maryland?

In Maryland, there are three common drug charges our firm handles:

• Marijuana, less than ten grams
• Marijuana, ten grams or more
• Possession with intent to distribute

The possession with intent to distribute is the most worrisome out of the three. Marijuana, less than ten grams, is not that big of a deal anymore.

What Determines Whether A Drug Charge Is A Misdemeanor Or Felony In Prince George’s County?

The quantity and available jail time for the charge are the two main factors that determine misdemeanor or felony. If you were caught with drugs on you, how much? Is it thought that you had intent to distribute? Intent is usually based on the quantity you have on you.

What Are The Potential Sentencing Penalties For Misdemeanor And Felony Drug Convictions In Maryland?

Penalties for felony convictions are going to be a much bigger deal—misdemeanors, not as much. For misdemeanors, it depends on the situation. Is this your first criminal charge, or have you been through many criminal charges in the past? Do you not seem to get the hint that you’re breaking the law continuously?

Misdemeanor charges could result in nothing at all to a slap on the wrist. The case could be dismissed for a variety of reasons, including skilled work by a defense attorney. You could face probation before judgment (PBJ) with no conviction or points. You still could get jail time with a PBJ, but not typically.

In a felony case, you could end up in jail for decades on the high end. A long period of jail is possible if you have a lot of drugs and a bad rap sheet. We hopefully get you out of your charges with minor jail time, if any. Hopefully, we can get you a PBJ in exchange for community service. There may also be fines involved.

Often, I try to get people rehabilitated a little myself. I get them into classes of some type to fix the problem. Maybe gaining full-time employment is a problem. Let’s work on that and get you prepared for a judge as best as possible. We want the judge to think your actions are a mistake that happened in the past and it’s not going to happen again.

Is There Drug Court In Prince George’s County And Surrounding Areas In Maryland? Is This The Right Option For All Offenders?

Drug court is an option for some offenders on a case-by-case basis. PG County has a lot of these problems. It’s a large county. There are a lot of drug charges going on there. They’re equipped to handle that. Not every county has as many drug-related cases as PG County. You want to have an attorney help you get through the system as smoothly as possible.

For more information on DUI Cases in Maryland, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (443) 990-1529 today.