Jail Following a Howard County DUI
A DUI arrest can be a harrowing experience, especially if it is your first offense. Being confined and losing freedom is never a pleasant experience which is why it is important to retain the services of a qualified DUI lawyer. An attorney understands how jarring it can be to find yourself in jail following a Howard County DUI and could devote the time and resources necessary to help you post bond. Work with an accomplished lawyer that could build a solid defense for you.
Maximum Amount of Time Someone Can Be Detained
Once someone has been put in jail following a Howard County DUI, the amount of time they might spend there varies depending on certain factors. A person could be in and out in a couple of hours. If they are held without bond, they might be there until the court date and, even then, if the court date comes a couple of months later, the judge can impose additional incarceration up to the maximum penalty, which is one year on a first offense.
Booking Process
Booking is a procedure whereby information is gathered. In regards to a DUI, usually, after the administration of the breath test, the officers can do what is called a discretionary release. That means they can be released as soon as they finish the testing and they can be in and out within just a couple of hours. They are not officially booked.
When someone is booked, usually it is because there were prior offenses or an accident, or the person was aggressive with police. Perhaps the charged individual fought the officer or gave them attitude, and they officer chooses not to release them. If that is the case, the person is booked, processed and will sit for at least several hours in jail following a Howard County DUI. They will eventually see a commissioner and then the commissioner will decide if the person should be released or held.
What Happens After a Person is Booked?
If they are arrested and the police decide to hold them in the holding cell, they could sit for a few hours until a commissioner can see them. Once the commissioner sees them, a commissioner could release them on their own recognizance, meaning they get released almost immediately, or they can be required to post bond to be released.
Posting bond means that the person either pays a bondsman or pay the money, themselves, to be released. It is very rare in a DUI case, but if someone has multiple priors, if they were really hurt or had a bad accident they can be held. If the police found some evidence in the car, for instance, a gun or drugs, a person can be held without bond and have to wait until the next business day to go in front of a judge for a bail review.
Seeking Medical Attention in Jail
If someone needs medical attention in jail following a Howard County DUI, they should be fine. The jail should have enough supplies to meet a person’s basic needs, and they can always transport someone to the hospital if there is an emergency. If it is something urgent, imperative or life-threatening, they will be transported by ambulance to the hospital.
Submitting Breath Tests in Prison
Very frequently, someone with a DUI or a life-sentence can be required to serve weekends in jail, where they go in Friday night and leave Sunday night. But, a person cannot show up drunk and if they appear to have alcohol in their system, the police can ask that person to submit to a breathalyzer to verify whether they are sober or not.
Value of a Howard County DUI Attorney
The value of a DUI attorney cannot be emphasized enough. A DUI carries up to one-year incarceration, $1,000-fine and 12 points on a person’s license if found guilty. There is no mandatory minimum on a first offense or second for that matter. A qualified DUI lawyer could help establish that an individual is not a flight risk and help them post bond at their arraignment. The attorney could also begin to collect evidence in order to build their defense. If a person finds themselves in jail following a Howard County DUI, they should speak with a lawyer that could fight tirelessly in their defense.