An Attorney Can Make a Lot of Difference in a DUI Charge
Have you ever been charged for public intoxication at any location in Maryland?
Keep in mind that Maryland has public intoxication laws.
While being drunk is one issue, other criminal laws may also apply in your case.
As one of the top Maryland criminal lawyers attorneys says, “In a bar if you drink too much, get hostile and assault someone, you can also face assault charges. When you leave the establishment, you can be arrested for drunken driving as well”.
In Maryland, drinking in public is an offence. You can be fined a certain amount or get a jail term.
How do you go about defending yourself?
Your first step is to hire a good criminal defense lawyer in MD.
He or she can prove to the court that there was little or no evidence to support your case.
The arguments the lawyer may put forward can be:
• You were not intoxicated.
• You were not at a public place.
• You were not causing any public disturbance or any harm to yourself either.
You must also keep in mind that whenever you are charged with a crime, the statute for a particular offense could specify that first-time offenders may be fined not exceeding a certain amount or the imprisonment will not be more than a certain period, or both.
Choosing one of the top Maryland criminal lawyers attorneys makes sense because a good attorney can make accurate predictions as to what the punishment can be.
Criminal laws are complex.
Sentences for a particular crime may or may not mandatory.
Mandatory sentencing laws vary by state.
In the event your judge has freedom of choice to determine the sentence, your lawyer can bring to the judge’s notice an assortment of factual circumstances that can persuade the judge to impose a more lenient sentence.
More often than not, judges use the following aspects while shaping the sentence:
• Your history of criminal conduct
• Whether you were an accomplice to the crime but not the main offender
• Your offense was committed under intense personal stress. For example: a divorce, a lost job or losing a close one.
• The offense or crime has hurt no one.
Your lawyer can even press for an alternative sentence such as probation, community service, or suspended sentence.
Here is a caveat that you must not forget.
A thumb rule limit to legally drive in the United States is 0.08% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).
But the penalties vary from state to state.
Therefore, before getting behind the wheel even after a small shot, get to know the DUI laws of your state.
Even if you are not feeling the effects of alcohol, your BAC may exceed the legal limits of your state.
Do not be overwhelmed by the thought of hiring an attorney. Having legal representation can make a lot of difference in your case.