Towson DUI Lawyers

Have prosecutors charged you with driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while impaired (DWI) in Towson or anywhere in Maryland? While you might think of a DUI as a minor offense, a conviction can significantly impact your life, resulting in a prison sentence, fine, license suspension, and other penalties.

A knowledgeable and experienced Towson DUI lawyer from Greenberg Law Offices can provide robust legal defense and help you achieve a favorable outcome. Contact our law offices today to speak with us about your case and to learn more about how our firm can help.

Why You Need a Towson Defense Lawyer for a DUI Case

Without a DUI defense lawyer on your side, you could end up serving a jail sentence and losing your license upon release. This can severely affect your ability to find and keep a job, making it hard to pay your bills and provide for your family. A conviction can also leave you with a permanent criminal record, impacting your future opportunities.

A skilled DUI criminal defense attorney can mitigate the risks associated with a DUI conviction by defending you against the charges or negotiating a favorable plea agreement with the prosecution. If you already have a DUI conviction, the attorneys at Greenberg Law Offices may also be able to have the conviction expunged from your record.

What Are Maryland’s DUI Laws?

Maryland DUI laws are split into two primary categories: those for driving under the influence and those for driving while impaired. While similar, these are separate charges, with DWI being the less severe offense compared to DUI. The differences between these charges under the law are as follows:

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) – In Maryland, a person may face a charge of DUI when they drive or attempt to drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating substance. The Maryland DUI limit, or the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) required to be charged with DUI, is 0.08 percent.
Driving While Impaired (DWI) – DWI is a lesser offense that prosecutors can charge individuals with even if they don’t reach the 0.08 percent BAC limit required for a DUI charge. Typically, DWI charges are filed when an individual’s BAC is between 0.07 and 0.08 percent, but they are visibly impaired. DWI is also sometimes referred to as DWAI (driving while ability impaired).

Is a DUI a Felony in Maryland?

According to Maryland’s sentencing guidelines, DUI is not a felony offense. It is a misdemeanor with a severity classification between VII and IV, depending on the number of prior offenses and the circumstances of the case. However, despite being a misdemeanor offense, DUI convictions can lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment for up to a decade in particularly extreme cases.

For this reason, it’s crucial that you work with a seasoned DUI defense lawyer in Towson who can help you beat the charges or negotiate on your behalf to have your charges reduced.

What Are the DUI Penalties in Maryland?

Maryland DUI penalties depend primarily on how many prior DUI convictions an individual has. However, the penalties can also increase if the DUI caused injury to another person or if a minor was in the vehicle. The base penalties include the following:

First DUI – A first-time offender can face up to $1,200 in fines and up to one year in jail. They will also receive 12 points on their driving record and may lose their license for up to six months.
Second DUI – A second-time offender can face up to $2,400 in fines and up to two years in jail. If the second offense happened within five years of the first, they will have a mandatory minimum sentence of five days in jail. They will also receive 12 points on their driving record and may lose their license for up to one year.
Third DUI – A third-time offender can face up to $5,000 in fines and up to five years in jail. If the offense happened within five years of the prior conviction, the mandatory minimum sentence is 10 days in jail. They will also receive 12 points on their driving record and may lose their license.
Fourth DUI – A fourth or subsequent offense can result in up to $10,000 in fines and up to 10 years in jail. It will also result in 12 points on the offender’s driving record and a likely license suspension.

If you are a first-time offender, you may be eligible for a DUI probation program, such as the Drinking Driver Monitor Program. Our lawyers can help you petition the court for probation instead of a jail sentence.

What Are the DWI Penalties in Maryland?

DWI penalties in Maryland are similar to the DUI penalties in that they increase based on the individual’s number of prior convictions and other factors, such as if an injury occurred or a minor was in the vehicle. The base penalties for DWI include the following:

First DWI – A first-time DWI offender may face up to $500 in fines and up to 2 months in jail. They will also receive 8 points on their driving record and may receive a six-month license suspension.
Second DWI – A second-time DWI offender may face up to $500 in fines and up to one year in jail. They will also receive 8 points on their driving record and a license suspension for nine to 12 months.
Third and Fourth DWI – The penalties for third, fourth, and subsequent DWI offenses are the same as for third, fourth, and subsequent DUI offenses, except the number of penalty points applied to the offender’s driving record.

What Are Common Defenses Used in DUI Cases?

Our lawyers can tailor a defense to your specific DUI case. Some of the most commonly used defenses against DUI and DWI include the following:

Unlawful Stop – If the Baltimore County Police Department did not have probable cause to pull you over or if it was conducting an unlawful DUI checkpoint, the evidence gathered by officers during the stop may be inadmissible in court.
Chemical Test Inaccuracies – Our lawyers can dispute the accuracy of the breathalyzer or blood test performed if we believe the machine wasn’t calibrated properly.
Field Sobriety Test Disputes – Our lawyers can dispute the conclusions police and prosecutors came to based on the field sobriety test footage. Being unable to complete these tasks does not necessarily mean you were impaired by alcohol or another substance.
Rising Blood Alcohol Concentration – Because BAC levels can rise over time, all breath and blood tests must be taken within two hours of the arrest. If they are not, they may be inadmissible as evidence.
Chain of Custody Disputes – If there are any questions about the chain of custody of the evidence, our lawyers can file a motion to have the evidence suppressed, as it may be tainted.

Can a DUI Be Dismissed?

As for whether a DUI can be dismissed, a judge can drop a DUI charge under certain circumstances. For this to happen, your lawyer must file a motion to dismiss with the court and explain why it should dismiss your case

Some of the most common reasons for DUI dismissals include the following:

The arresting officer didn’t follow proper procedures
There was no probable cause for the stop
The police checkpoint was unlawful
The prosecutors brought the case after the one-year time limit expired

How Much Does a DUI Lawyer Cost?

Many individuals charged with a DUI wonder, “What is the cost of a DUI?” “Is it worth hiring a lawyer to handle my case?” While a DUI can result in a $1,000 fine for a first offense, that’s only the beginning. The other penalties, such as jail time, a license suspension, and additional fees, make the cost of a DUI much higher than just the maximum fine.

The cost of a DUI lawyer in Maryland can range anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the circumstances of your case. The more severe the charges are and the more evidence the prosecution has against you, the higher the cost of a DUI lawyer may be. However, that price is worth it when you consider the long-term penalties of a conviction.

Contact a Towson DWI/DUI Lawyer Defense Attorney Today

If the Baltimore County Police Department arrested you for DWI or DUI in Towson, or you’re having DUI issues elsewhere in Maryland, you need the legal support of Greenberg Law Offices. Our firm is made up of skilled negotiators and aggressive litigators who have been defending Maryland citizens against DUI charges for over 60 years and across three generations.

Founded in 1966, Greenberg Law Offices treats its clients like family. We fight to get the justice our clients deserve and stand up against police and prosecutors in criminal court procedures. Our team of DUI lawyers in Maryland approaches every case with a willingness to go to trial and do whatever it takes to protect our clients’ rights and interests. We also understand that DUI charges can affect everyone surrounding the accused, so our attorneys like to meet with our clients and their families.