| Maryland DUI Law | | | | intoxicated appearance, bad driving habits, and refusal |
| Maryland has strict laws against driving under the | | | | to submit to chemical testing. The second prosecution |
| influence for drivers using the state's roadways. | | | | theory is the "per se" law of driving while you have |
| Maryland is a participant in the Interstate Driver's | | | | more than the legal limit of alcohol concentrated in your |
| License Compact, which means that even if you are | | | | blood. The prosecutor trying a case under this theory |
| arrested for driving under the influence in Maryland, | | | | only has to show that your BAC level exceeded |
| Maryland officials will report the offense to your home | | | | 0.08% at the time of the arrest. |
| state and your home state will also seek to suspend | | | | Maryland DUI Penalties |
| your driving privileges. Being arrested for a DUI offense | | | | Driving under the influence is the more serious of the |
| in Maryland starts two different cases against a DUI | | | | two Maryland offenses. The penalties for this type of |
| offender. One is a criminal case that means you will | | | | offense include a 45 day driver's license suspension, |
| face criminal charges and penalties that fit the crime of | | | | $1,000 in fines, and up to one year in jail for a first |
| driving under the influence. The other is an | | | | offense. Penalties for a second offense increase to |
| administrative case that deals with the suspension of | | | | $2,000 in fines and 2 years in jail for second-time |
| your driver's license. Because successfully winning | | | | offenders. If a person is convicted of DUI in Maryland, |
| these two cases requires legal experience and a | | | | 12 points are added to the offender's driving record. |
| strong knowledge of the complex DUI laws, contact a | | | | Driving while impaired is the less serious of the two |
| Maryland DUI lawyer immediately after being arrested. | | | | offenses in Maryland. However, the consequences are |
| If you have a qualified Maryland DUI attorney on your | | | | still strict. The driver's license suspension period can be |
| side, you will have a much better chance of presenting | | | | up to 60 days in length with 8 points added to the |
| your defense and winning your case. | | | | offender's Maryland driving record. For a first offense, |
| Maryland DUI Arrests | | | | an offender faces up to $500 in fines and 2 months in |
| When someone is arrested for DUI in Maryland, it is | | | | jail. For a second offense, the offender faces up to |
| called driving under the influence or driving while | | | | $500 in fines and one year in jail. Refusing to submit to |
| impaired. Maryland's upper limit for blood alcohol | | | | chemical testing an result in a license suspension period |
| concentration is 0.08%. This means that exceeding this | | | | of 120 days. This refusal to submit to chemical testing |
| level will result in driving under the influence charges | | | | may also be used against you in court to show that |
| being filed against the driver. Blood alcohol | | | | you were refusing the test because you knew you |
| concentrations of .07 result in a charge of driving while | | | | were impaired. Since the Interstate Driver's License |
| impaired. Two types of prosecution theories exist in | | | | Compact allows states to share DUI information with |
| Maryland, as in many other states. One is the issue of | | | | each other, your home state will receive notice of your |
| impairment. The prosecutor trying a case based on | | | | DUI or DWI offense in Maryland. Because these |
| impairment may introduce evidence to show that the | | | | charges have serious consequences, it is important |
| driver was impaired at the time of arrest. Information | | | | that you contact a Maryland DUI attorney as soon as |
| introduced into the prosecutor's case may include the | | | | you can after being arrested. |
| smell of alcohol on a defendant's breath, having an | | | | |