Prince George’s County First Offense DUI Lawyer
If you have been charged for the first time for operating a car while under the influence of alcohol, speaking with a Prince George’s County first offense DUI lawyer could help you prepare an argument before trial. Contact an established DUI lawyer to discuss your case and your desired outcome.
Expected Treatment of First-Offense DUI Charges
First-time DUI charges in Prince George’s County are heard in district court. Prosecutors handle first-offense DUI charges with a lighter touch. However, if there are something egregious about the first offense such as a bad accident, someone getting hurt, or someone being belligerent with the officers, a first-offense DUI becomes atypical and, therefore, atypical results such as jail time may result.
Role of Judges and a Jury in Drunk Driving Cases
Criminal case judges are very receptive and appreciate individuals who are extremely proactive when faced with these types of charges. It is much more compelling to be able to tell a judge that, within a week of an accident, someone was involved in a class and took steps as opposed to someone who waited until the 25th hour to do anything about it. That just shows the judge that the person did not see the whole incident as a priority and is likely to get a very different result than someone who is more proactive.
Penalties Associated with a First-Time DUI
The penalties associated with a first-time DUI in Prince George’s County include up to a year incarceration and/or a $1,000 fine. Initially, when someone gets a DUI, they do receive an order of suspension and, based upon their resulting blood alcohol content or if they refused the testing, that could have consequences on their license. It is ultimately the conviction that can impose points, a suspension or revocation of a driving privilege, or an interlock requirement if they want to continue driving. If someone could avoid a conviction, they avoid a lot of those consequences.
Likelihood of Challenging a License Suspension
As a Prince George’s County first offense DUI lawyer knows, it is possible for someone to challenge the suspension of their license after their first drunk driving offense. The process would go about with the individual submitting a request for a hearing along with the hearing request fee to the office of administrative hearings. This is outside of the court proceeding of a criminal case, but at a separate administrative proceeding, there are certain challenges that can be raised and arguments presented to avoid someone being suspended outright.
Importance of an Attorney in Creating a Defense Argument
The biggest mistake to avoid during a first-time DUI is to delay in getting an attorney. Many things that need to be done are very time-sensitive. For illustration, the administrative hearing must be requested within the first 10 days of the incident if someone wants to avoid being suspended for a period of time. Even if, ultimately, they get a hearing, they might be suspended for weeks if not months until the hearing is scheduled if they do not act immediately.
Prince George’s County first offense DUI lawyers build their defense by looking for unique facets that are different to each DUI in their counter. An experienced attorney can seek the weaknesses in the case, figure out what approaches, strategies, and arguments to present to a judge or a jury. They can then figure out what the best method is of moving forward in addressing the allegations and specific, technical, and unique characteristics of any DUI.