Damage Control After a Baltimore DUI

The first and most important thing an individual does after they are charged with DUI should be speaking with a Baltimore DUI attorney. A dedicated DUI attorney examines the individual facts of the case and the jurisdiction where the case occurred. They give very specific advice based on the precise details of the case. Much of the general advice that can be given is trumped by the specific advice given by an attorney.

Alcohol Education Classes in Baltimore

An alcohol education course is a program of education, usually twelve hours designed to teach people about alcohol and its effects on their decision making and how alcohol led them to get their DUI citation. They are pretty standard courses; many different groups put on those programs.

Advantages of Taking Alcohol Education Classes

An alcohol education course is essential for somebody charged with a DUI offense in Baltimore. Courts want individuals to take DUI seriously. If an individual is charged with a DUI and completes alcohol classes, that shows the court they take the charge seriously and are doing what they need to do to make sure this type of incident never occurs again. If an individual takes alcohol classes; they usually receive one set of penalties from the court. If an individual does not take any kind of alcohol classes prior to court; they receive a different and generally harsher set of penalties from the court.

Different Types of Alcohol Education Classes

The lowest level of alcohol course is a simple twelve-hour alcohol education. Alcohol treatment programs can go up to a ninety day or longer stay in an in-patient rehabilitation facility. The level of treatment an individual needs is based on their history with alcohol and the legal system.

People who have a first-offense Baltimore DUI attorney and never had an issue with alcohol are usually all right with taking a simple twelve-hour course. People with significant prior offenses, are involved in accidents, have extremely high blows, or some kind of prior history with alcohol must take a longer course. The specifics of that are something they should talk about with their attorney because there are many facts and circumstances involved. There is no one size fits all alcohol class that is good for everyone.

How to Approach Alcohol Education Classes

They should appear dressed professionally, be on time, and shouldn’t miss dates. Being on time and dressed professionally are very important to making a good impression. Attendance is something the alcohol courses take seriously and include in their notes that the lawyers give to the judge.

A person wants to be in a situation where their lawyer hands a note to the judge saying they had perfect attendance, were on time, and were an active and attentive participant in the class as opposed to a note that says the person signed up, but missed half of these classes and when they were there they didn’t participate at all. The court reads the notes and takes a person’s participation in the courses seriously when deciding the sentence.

Post DUI Insurance Implications

When an individual is convicted of a DUI, that triggers some insurance implications. Usually, the individual is dropped from their insurance company or asked to pay significantly more for higher risk insurance. However, if an individual is acquitted or receives probation before a judgment for a DUI, that usually causes no points to be assessed and usually means there is not any kind of insurance implication. Since many first offense DUIs in Maryland do result in probation before judgment, it is very common that first offenders do not have anything happen to their insurance subsequent to a first offense DUI.

Speaking to Your Insurance Company

Whether or not you should speak to your insurance company varies on a case by case analysis. Usually, when there is an accident, the individual speaks to their insurance provider. However, with a simple DUI charge, it is generally recommended that an individual not inform their insurance company about it. That depends on a very fact-specific analysis and is something that a person should speak to a Baltimore DUI lawyer about before making that determination.

The first call an individual makes when they are charged with a DUI, whether there’s an accident involved or not, should be to their Baltimore DUI attorney. An attorney gives very helpful advice in dealing with the insurance company. If someone talks to their insurance company before they talk to their lawyer, they may not handle that interaction with their insurance correctly.

Other Relevant Information

It is important to speak to a competent legal counsel prior to making any kind of decisions. A DUI lawyer in Baltimore can tell a person how to minimize the amount of misery involved in a DUI arrest. They make suggestions on how to handle the driver license regarding whether it makes sense to request a hearing or challenge the suspension of a license. They give advice about how to prepare mitigation for court, and what the person needs to do to make their case potentially defensible in court.

All of those actions should be started immediately after the DUI arrest. The best advice to anyone for doing DUI damage control is talk to a lawyer as soon as possible.