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When To Contact an Attorney in a Wicomico DUI Case

An individual should contact a Wicomico County DUI attorney immediately upon being arrested. The most likely opportunity to speak with an attorney is going to occur when the person is transported back to the officer’s department. They can ask to make contact with that attorney right away and a phone can be provided for them in order to make contact with their attorney.

Importance of Contacting an Attorney Quickly

Individuals should contact an attorney as quickly as they can because they could have very important discussions with an attorney regarding whether or not the driver should take the breath test that has been offered to them. The law requires them to be able to have that conversation with the attorney so long as that consult with the attorney does not substantially interfere with the officer’s ability to offer the breath test.

Under Maryland law the breath test has to occur within two hours of being apprehended, so the officer has a two-hour time limit a window to get the person to take the test. Attempting to consult with an attorney cannot substantially interfere with that two-hour window, but other than that the person has an absolute right to try and speak with an attorney and have that conversation about whether or not to submit to the breath test.

Getting a Lawyer For a Wicomico County Bond Hearing

A defendant can have an attorney at their very first appearance before a judicial officer in Maryland, that is, district court commissioner. Under the law, the defendant has a right to have an attorney even at that very preliminary phase of being seen by the district court commissioner. That attorney can be very important at that particular phase because a district court commissioner will make the determination as to whether or not to release the defendant on the defendant’s own recognizance or whether or not some amount of bond has to be required to insure that the defendant returns back to court.

Having an attorney at that phase could be the difference between being released that night or potentially having to sit in jail. If the district court commissioner determines that a bond is required, then the person can either make the bond and post the bond or the person is going to sit in jail. They will stay in jail until the next available court date at which time they will appear in front of a Wicomico County District Court judge.

How Are These Hearings Conducted in Wicomico County?

In Wicomico County, those hearings are conducted via video. And at that bond review hearing, the district court judge can make the determination to either lower the bond, keep the bond the same, or raise the bond. Again, this is a very important step where a defendant would want to have an attorney because an attorney being there and advocating for the defendant could be the difference between the defendant being released or the defendant having to remain in jail.

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