Charged With DUI or DWI on Vacation in Ocean City?

Every year, thousands of Marylanders head to Ocean City for a beach vacation, and inevitably, some of those vacationers end up being charged with driving under the influence. Being charged with a crime in a location far from your home is inconvenient to say the least, and depending on the facts, you could be facing jail time.Portner & Shure has office locations all throughout Maryland, including the eastern shore.

With our firm, not only can you have the peace of mind knowing you’ve hired an aggressive, top 10, criminal defense attorney that is familiar with the eastern shore and their court system, but we also have offices conveniently located within 10 miles of your home, so taking that hike to the shore isn’t necessary to meet with your attorney.  If you’ve been charged with DUI or DWI on the eastern shore, call Portner & Shure today.

What to do if you are Charged with a DUI in Ocean City this Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is quickly approaching and that means police officers in Ocean City are gearing up for DUI patrols. Memorial Day signifies the unofficial start of the summer season and many people use that as an excuse to "go crazy." Ocean City is a beach town full of bars and restaurants where it is very easy to drink alcohol in excess. Places like Seacrets are common places where people go to drink a lot of alcohol. With a lot of drinking comes an increased risk of people drinking and driving.

Ocean City is a common vacation destination for local Marylanders. That means that many people choose to drive to the beach. Instead of being forced to Uber, Lyft, or take a taxi, people will just drive their own car. DUI are very common in Ocean City throughout the summer season. A DUI charge in Ocean City is taken very serious and local judges do not take drinking and driving offenses lightly, especially because the area sees a large volume of DUI cases from tourists.

It is very beneficial to hire an experienced DUI attorney in Ocean City to represent you and help you try to avoid the maximum penalties, which include up to 1 year in jail and fines for a first offense. Portner & Shure is recognized as a Top 10 DUI law firm in Maryland, and our attorneys have represented countless DUI offenders in Worcester County.

If you've been charged with a DUI in Ocean City this Memorial Day Weekend, call the experienced DUI attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

Maryland DUI Attorney: Noah’s Law Passes in MD’s General Assembly

           Maryland’s General Assembly session came to a close at midnight last night, and before that deadline, Noah’s law received approval from both the House and Senate.  We previously blogged on this proposed bill a few months ago when it initially debuted in response to a drunk driver hitting and killing Officer Noah Leotta of Montgomery County.  Under Noah’s law, Maryland would now join most other states in requiring the installation of an ignition interlock device for all DUI offenders.  Currently, the device is only required to be installed for repeat DUI offenders and those with excessive blood alcohol levels.

           

           Numerous studies have been conducted that show the benefits of requiring an interlock device for all DUI offenders.  In states with this requirement already in place, there were thousands of people who were stopped from being able to start their car because they were attempting to drive drunk.  That means that the interlock devices likely saved many lives by keeping these drunk drivers off the road.  Many first-time offenders end up driving drunk again because they did not face any serious consequences for their first offense.  If an interlock device was required, it would prevent these people from being able to start their car with any amount of alcohol in their system.

            

           Governor Hogan is expected to sign this bill into law, which would effectively end the slap-on-the-wrist mentality in Maryland for first time DUI offenders.  This law will likely take effect October 1^st or January 1^st.  When this happens, it will be even more important to hire an experienced Maryland DUI attorney to handle your case and limit the consequences as much as possible. 

Anybody who is thinking about drinking and driving should remember, that not only are they putting their own life at risk, they are putting the lives of innocent people at risk.  In addition, there are more serious consequences they will have to face with an interlock device required to be installed.  There are significant costs associated with the installation of interlock devices, including the initial fees and the monthly maintenance fees.  You can avoid all of these things by just getting an Uber, Lyft, or taxi to drive you home.

If you or a family member has been charged with an alcohol-related offense in Maryland and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on these types of offenses please feel free to contact our office at (301) 854-9000 and schedule an appointment at our office in Columbia or throughout Maryland, or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/