Charged with DUI? Alcohol Treatment is a Necessary Step for a Favorable Outcome

A DUI charge in Maryland carries significant penalties, including fines, possible jail time, suspension of your driver's license, and required use of an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. Some of these consequences may be avoided if you take steps to take responsibility for your actions. It is never a good idea to come to court for your DUI case and go before the judge without having any documentation of having tried to do right to make up for your terrible decision to drink and drive. Our attorneys have learned over the years that there are some things DUI clients can do before court in order to increase their chances at avoiding the worst consequences in court.

We make sure all of our DUI clients attend alcohol treatment classes immediately after being charged with the offense. Oftentimes, the client is classified as a social drinker, which essentially just means that this person made a terrible mistake and had one bad night where they drank too much, got in their car, and drove away. Social drinker are usually required to complete a series of treatment sessions over a couple of weeks. Once all treatment is complete, the client will receive a certificate to be able to show to the judge in court.

Alcohol treatment is probably the single most important thing a person charged with DUI can do prior to appearing in court. Ultimately, the judge is going to order that alcohol treatment be completed, but having it already done when you do go to court shows the judge that you are taking responsibility for your actions. Judges usually look favorably on this and are often agreeable to sentence you with probation before judgment, as opposed to a jail sentence. Plus, treatment will already be completed and that is one less thing you are required by the court to complete in a timely manner.

If you've been charged with DUI in Maryland, call the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

Open Container Law in Maryland: Does it Apply to Passengers in Vehicles?

Many of us are probably aware of open container laws in Maryland. I think we all generally know that it is illegal to have open containers of alcohol outside on the street in public. However, many people probably do not know that it is also illegal to have open containers in vehicles, regardless of whether you are driver, front seat passenger, or back seat passenger. An occupant of a motor vehicle may NOT possess an open container that contains any amount of an alcoholic beverage.

If you are in a vehicle and stopped by police and the officer sees that you have an open bottle of beer or wine, or even just a plastic cup filled with an alcoholic beverage, they will give you a citation for violating Maryland's open container law. This type of attention from police officers will often lead to suspicions of drunk driving and could result in a DUI charge for the driver if any alcohol is detected on them.

There are obvious exceptions to the open container law for special vehicles, such as buses, taxis, limousines, and RVs.

Just remember to never drink and drive and never have open containers of alcohol anywhere in your vehicle. If you are charged with an alcohol-related offense in Maryland, call Portner & Shure for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.