Why Choose Portner & Shure as your DUI Attorney?

If you have been arrested for a DUI/DWI it is important that you consult an experienced Maryland DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

Mr. Portner has a proven track record of successfully defending clients charged with DUI in Maryland.  He knows the severe penalties and all the possible negative effects of having a DUI conviction on your criminal record.  Some of the direct and indirect consequences include jail time, substantial monetary fines, demotion at your job, losing your job, losing security clearance at your job, being deported if in the United States illegally or using a temporary visa.  Mr. Portner has been defending DUI clients for over 20 years.  Portner & Shure has several five-star reviews on Yelp and Avvo, with clients stating their appreciation to Mr. Portner for working tirelessly on their case.  With such severe life-changing penalties possible as a result of a DUI charge, it only makes sense to choose an experienced and knowledgeable DUI attorney to defend you.

For example, Mr. Portner achieved an extremely favorable result for his Chinese-speaking client who was charged with an aggravated DUI when he crashed his car into a guardrail on Route 29 in Howard County, Maryland.  The client’s car was totaled with $28,000 and the client fractured his thumb in the accident.  When police arrived at the scene, the client agreed to perform various field sobriety tests and to a breath test in which he blew a 0.11.  The client was born in China, went to Montgomery College for three years, is a United States citizen, and has had no problems with the law before this incident.  Mr. Portner emphasized the fact that this was the client’s first offense and he had made one terrible mistake.  The Court and the State’s Attorney’s office both agreed with Mr. Portner in that it would be too onerous with the language barrier to sentence the client to supervised probation and that this was the right case for a probation before judgment.  The client was sentenced to unsupervised probation, a rarity in a case akin to this one; however, it was clear that the client had been punished enough by the injuries he sustained and damages to the car.

DUI and Minors: Consequences in Maryland

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Maryland, like the rest of the states in this country, has very strict laws regarding underage drinking, especially with driving under the influence (DUI).  Maryland has a “zero tolerance” law for underage drinking that prohibits anyone under the age of 21, a minor, from consuming alcohol.  Any person under the age of 21 who is stopped and found to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.02 or greater is in violation of Maryland’s “zero tolerance” law.

Minors can be arrested for DUI if it is determined that their BAC was 0.02 or higher.  (Note: DUI BAC for individuals 21 years of age and older is 0.08).  Minors can only be charged with “per se” DUI if submitting to a breath or blood alcohol test that returns a BAC of 0.02 or higher.  It is never recommended for someone under the legal drinking age to submit to a breath test if you have had any amount of alcohol.  Police officers will sometimes arrest underage individuals if they reasonably believe the minor is operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.  Minors who have been arrested for suspicion of DUI must hire an experienced attorney in order to achieve a favorable outcome.

For a first-time DUI offense, a minor will have their driver’s license suspended for six (6) months, face up to a $500 fine, and possible jail time up to two (2) months.  If within a five (5) year period of the first DUI conviction, the minor will have their driver’s license suspended for one (1) year in jail, and subject to a fine ranging from $500 to $2,000.

Maryland laws for underage drinking and driving are very strict because legislators want to avoid teenager-involved car accidents as best they can.  Minors are more likely to be involved in drunk driving related motor vehicle accidents because they are relatively new drivers who do not yet fully understand the dangerous effects alcohol has on their body and the impact that has on their ability to drive.  It is important that minors in Maryland know the laws regarding drunk driving.  If you have been arrested for a DUI as a minor (under the age of 21) it is important that you consult an experienced Maryland DUI attorney immediately because DUI is a criminal offense and carries potentially severe penalties.  An experienced attorney can guide you through the court process and find any possible defenses that can either mitigate the penalties in the case, or in some instances, lead to an acquittal or dismissal.

If you or a family member has been charged with a Maryland DUI as a minor and would like a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on DUI or DWI in Maryland, please feel free to contact our office at (410) 995-1515 or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Criminal-Defense/DWI-DUI/