Top Reasons You Need an Attorney’s Help with DUI Hearings in Maryland

If you are arrested for violating Maryland’s statute on drunk driving, you probably know that you face a driver’s license suspension and fines. The urge to save money at such a time is strong, so you may assume that your best option is representing yourself in DUI proceedings. When you go it alone, you do not have to pay legal fees on top of what you may be fined. While this is certainly true, there are times when you need to realize when to spend your hard-earned cash wisely. By retaining a Maryland DUI hearings lawyer, you are investing in your freedom and your future. Here are a few reasons why.

A lawyer can help with the administrative and criminal proceedings. There are two proceedings involved when you are arrested for DUI in Maryland. The administrative case affects your driving privileges, since the law provides for a suspension of your driver’s license if the judge finds that you were drunk driving. Plus, DUI is against the law, so there is a separate proceeding for the criminal case. An attorney can represent you in connection with both cases, which are closely related, but still very different.

 You do not get a public defender for a DUI hearing in Maryland. In some criminal cases, you may qualify to have the court appoint a public defender to advocate on your behalf. However, the proceeding that affects your driver’s license is an administrative case. Though you may face sanctions, the matter is not criminal in nature. You do not have the right to a public defender in the DUI hearing.

 You have the opportunity to present much of the same evidence in both cases. There may be significant evidence in your favor for the DUI hearing and the criminal proceeding. If you do not know how to get these facts before the court, it is as if they do not even exist. Experienced lawyers are well-versed in the rules of evidence and how to present key information to the court. They are also able to overcome any objections to evidence that are raised by the prosecutor.

 Your attorney can help with reinstatement of a suspended license. If the judge at your DUI hearing does issue a suspension of your driver’s license, there are specific rules and a process to reinstate it. Your driving privileges are not automatically returned once the suspension period is over. You need to apply and demonstrate that you have met all legal requirements after your drunk driving conviction. Plus, Maryland officials will review your application, and they have the power to deny or approve it. If you are denied, you may need assistance with the appeals process.

Call Now to Learn More About the Benefits of Retaining a DUI Hearings Attorney

 If you want to know more about the advantages of hiring a DUI defense lawyer to represent you in connection with a drunk driving case, please contact attorney William F. Mulroney. Schedule a consultation to review your circumstances and get started on a strategy to defend your interests.