Facing Maryland Criminal Charges As An Out of State Resident

Being charged with a criminal offense in Maryland while residing in another state can be a confusing and intimidating prospect. Luckily, a Maryland criminal defense attorney is available to assist you through the legal system and advocate on your behalf. Call today to discuss your case.

What To Do If Charged In Another Part of The State

In this situation you want to contact an attorney who is familiar with the jurisdiction where you were charged. If you leave in Garrett or Allegany County and you were charged in Baltimore, it would be to your advantage to have an attorney who is knowledgeable about court practices in Baltimore. The converse is true as well. If you live in Baltimore and are charged with a crime in Garrett or Allegany Counties, you are going to want to hire or talk to an attorney who is familiar with the jurisdiction where you were charged.

What If You Live In Another State?

An individual living outside of Maryland but charged with a crime in Maryland has an even greater reason to contact a Maryland attorney. You definitely want to talk to an attorney who is from the state where you have been charged.  An attorney in your home state will not be of use to you nine times out of 10 when facing criminal charges in a different state. You definitely want to have somebody on your side who is familiar with the justice system in the state where you have been charged.

What Are The First Things To Do As An Out of State Resident Charged With a Crime?

First, find a competent attorney who is familiar with both your type of case as well as the jurisdiction where the case is likely to be heard. Second, tell the attorney everything that took place in the incident. Thirdly, follow all of their attorney’s advice.

What Out of State Residents Should Know About MD Criminal Charges

Most people who are from out of state have no idea how the justice system works in Maryland. They are not aware that Maryland will frequently grant Probation Before Judgment for first offense traffic citations, which can result in points not being assessed against their driver’s license. They are not aware that Reckless Driving in Maryland is not a jailable citation, but merely a payable one.

What Is The Benefit of Hiring An Experienced Criminal Lawyer?

An experienced Maryland criminal lawyer will know two things that are extremely important in handling a case. One, they will be familiar with the law. They will know what the prosecution has to prove. They will know how the prosecution is going to try to prove it and they’ll know the best ways to crack a defense.

Two, an experienced Maryland attorney will be familiar with the personalities involved on the other side of the case. They will know the prosecutors and the judges. They will know which judges are preferred for hearing certain kinds of cases and which judges need to be avoided. An experienced attorney will know which judges like certain types of mitigation and which judges do not care about particular types of mitigation.