Ocean City, Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney | DUI vs. DWI in Maryland

With temperatures rising and Memorial Day weekend having marked the unofficial start of summer, many residents of the Baltimore and Washington D.C. metro area will be heading to Ocean City, Maryland during the week and weekends. Whether grilling at a beach house or eating at a restaurant on the boardwalk, it's likely many people will be relaxing and kicking back with a drink or two. People have a tendency to drink more than usual in a relaxed, vacation environment and this could lead to the poor decision of getting behind the wheel. In 2011, over 16,000 arrests were made for driving under the influence in Maryland. It takes only one bad choice to completely change your life.

In Maryland, if you are pulled over for drinking or driving, you could possibly be charged with two types of offenses--a DUI (driving under the influence) or a DWI (driving while intoxicated). If you are charged with a DUI in Maryland, it means, among other things, that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) posted at a level of .08% of higher. You could face up to one year in jail, and 12 points are automatically marked against your driving record, which results in an instant revocation of your license for six months. The monetary fine for a first offense DUI is $1,000. A second offense DUI could result in jail for up to two years with a mandatory minimum of five days. Your license will be revoked for one year and suspended for one year, there will be a 3-12 months ignition interlock period, 12 points will be marked on your driving record, and there is a $2,000 fine.

You can be charged for a DWI if your BAC is .07. For a first offense DWI, your license is suspended for 60 days with eight points are marked against your driving record. You could face up to 60 days in jail and the monetary fine is $500. For a second offense DWI, your license is suspended for up to 120 days, eight points are marked against your driving record, you could face up to a year in jail, and the monetary fine is $500.

Traffic related prosecutions, particularly DUIs and DUI-fatalities, are among the most complicated cases to handle. The highly experienced attorneys at Portner & Shure can begin working on your DUI or DWI case immediately to ensure your rights are protected. The committed attorneys will work tireless to build a strong defense and find weaknesses in the prosecution's case.