Baltimore First Offense DUI Lawyer

Because of the social stigma and potential consequences of driving under the influence, authorities in Baltimore treat DUI charges harshly. A person charged with drunk driving is recommended to consult a Baltimore first offense DUI lawyer. A skilled defense attorney could help a person learn their rights and build a defense case.

How Prosecutors Could Handle First-Time DUI Charges

Prosecutors typically do not let first-time DUI go. Authorities could prosecute cases zealously to ensure that they get something on the defendant’s record to indicate that they have come through the system. While prosecutors typically do not seek incarceration for first-time DUI offenses, they could ask for it based on the severity of the case. For a second or third time, prosecutors often seek jail time if they believe the person has clearly not gotten the message.

While first-time DUI offenders in D.C. or Pennsylvania could have the charges completely dismissed or expunged by doing an alcohol education class, Baltimore typically treats DUIs offenses more seriously. An attorney could help a person understand how prosecutors may treat their criminal case.

How Local Courts Treat these Charges

While the courts treat first-time DUI charges seriously, the argument could be made that anyone could make a mistake one time. Courts could give certain opportunities to individuals to help them keep criminal charges or points off their record. An individual may be required to participate in alcohol education programs or other conditions to keep their record clean. These opportunities are typically laid out for people by the court. These opportunities could include probation before judgment or other dispositions. A Baltimore attorney could fight tirelessly on behalf of a person charged of a first offense DUI.

Evidence an Attorney Could Look For

First-offense DUI attorneys in Baltimore could look into why the defendant’s vehicle was initially stopped to determine:

• If it a valid stop or an invalid stop
• How authorities performed on the standardized field sobriety tests
• What observations, if any, the officer made when interacting with the defendant
• Whether there is any video surveillance of the incident to show what the officer observed
• Whether the officer got the facts right or if there was a different method to interpret them

This information could be important and may play into whether a prosecutor is able to prove these kinds of charges.

How Baltimore DUI Attorneys Build a Defense

Baltimore DUI lawyers look at all of the evidence presented by the state. It is the state’s burden to prove the matter beyond a reasonable doubt and determine whether there were errors in the procedure followed by police officers. Attorneys could look at what type of responses a defendant could give with respect to the allegations that they were under the influence or impaired by alcohol.

Legal counsel could make these presentations to the judge through a motion to suppress or actual witnesses presenting facts to contradict the evidence that was presented by the state. Attorneys could then push for a resolution that is favorable to the accused. For help negotiating a favorable resolution to your charges, reach out to a Baltimore first-offense DUI lawyer today.