Motorists arrested in Maryland for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated face two separate cases – the administrative driver's license action, which threatens the driver’ license, and the court case, where a variety of DUI / DWI penalties await those convicted of drunk driving.

The stakes are high in a drunk driving case, so it’s critical to have an expert attorney fighting for the driver’s rights. The skilled DUI / DWI attorneys at 1.800.NOT.DRUNK and www.NotDrunk.com have the experience needed to defend a drinking and driving arrest anywhere in Maryland.

Anyone charged with drunk driving, DUI or DWI in Maryland has only 10 days from the date of arrest to request a Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings. If the driver doesn’t request a hearing, his or her license will be automatically suspended.

Maryland drinking and driving arrests are most commonly known as DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while impaired). A driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 percent or greater – now the legal limit in all 50 states – will face a charge of DUI, or driving under the influence. However, even a driver with a BAC of less than .08 percent can be charged with DWI, or driving while impaired.

A DUI charge is largely proven through chemical test results that reveal BAC. Some drivers refuse to take a chemical test because they believe that will help them avoid a drunk driving charge. However, a refusal to take the breath test can now be admitted into evidence at a DUI trial as consciousness of guilt.

Maryland drunk driving cases are prosecuted under two different theories: driving under the influence of alcohol, which focuses on the mental and physical condition of the driver, and violation of Maryland's "per se" laws, which is another way of saying that the driver had a BAC of .08 percent or greater.

The consequences of a Maryland drinking and driving conviction grow more severe all the time. A first-time DUI conviction carries a penalty of up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a minimum driver’s license suspension of 45 days. The convicted motorist also will receive 12 points on his or her Maryland driver’s license record. A driver convicted of a second-offense DUI in Maryland faces up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

Driving while impaired, or DWI, is a lesser offense in Maryland but still has very harsh consequences, including up to two months in jail, a fine of up to $500, a driver's license suspension of up to 60 days and the accumulation of eight points on the Maryland Driver's License record. A second DWI offense can bring up to a year in jail.

A refusal to a chemical test after a drunk driving arrest in Maryland can bring a 120-day driver's license suspension, plus the refusal may be admissible in court against those accused of violating Maryland DUI or DWI laws.

Both driving under the influence and driving while impaired are serious charges in Maryland, and require experienced legal representation. The top local attorneys of 1.800.NOT.DRUNK and www.NotDrunk.com will provide a free consultation and outline a proven legal strategy designed to defend a DUI or DWI charge anywhere in the state.

DISCLAIMER: No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.