Immigrants Beware in Harford County— Immigration Status of Everyone in Custody Will be Checked

Harford County has partnered with ICE for their controversial program that allows local law enforcement to check the immigration status of everyone it takes into custody.  This program is already in place in about 15 other local jurisdictions nationwide. If you are here illegally and are arrested for a crime or serious traffic offense in Harford County, police officers will run your name through the ICE system. Previously, only immigrants who are convicted of a crime or serious traffic offense risked having their name sent to ICE. Now, there is a much greater risk of being deported in Harford County if you are arrested for a criminal or traffic offense. If you’ve been charged with a crime or traffic offense in Harford County, call Portner & Shure today for a free consultation.

How to Get Released from Jail As Quickly As Possible

You’re in jail. You’re alone. You’re worried. What do you do?  Oftentimes, the first thoughts of every arrestee are immediate release. The most common path to release is making bail.

Bail can take the form of cash, a bond, or property given to the court by the arrestee. This is an assurance to the court that the arrestee will return to the court when ordered to do so. The amount of your bail depends on the severity of the crime, as well as your risk of flight, and is subject to a judge’s discretion to take into account aggravating or mitigating factors.

While there are many release options, the most common are:

1) Cash or Check in Full Amount: This occurs when the arrestee is able to pay the entire bail in full.

2) Surety Bond/Bail Bond: This is used when the arrestee is unable to pay in bail in full. The process begins with contacting a bail bondsman. A bail bondsman then promises to pay the full value of the bond if the arrestee doesn’t appear for his court date. In return for these services, the bail bondsman will charge a premium, usually 10% of the bail.

3) Own Recognizance: Sometimes an arrestee may be released on his own recognizance, meaning, he is responsible for showing up for his court dates. These are usually given to those charged with minor, nonviolent crimes and where the defendant is not considered dangerous or a flight risk, meaning, one who has a high likelihood of fleeing.

4) Citation Release: These are usually given to less-serious offenders. An officer will give the arrestee a citation telling the arrestee that he must appear at the indicated court date. In this case, there is no booking procedure and depends on the arrestee’s voluntary return to court.

5) Property: A defendant may sometimes be able to use property as a bond if the court gets a lien on the property in the amount of the bail. Thus, if the arrestee doesn’t show up for his court date, the court forecloses on the property to recover the price of bail.

If you are unsure of how to get released from jail as quickly as possible, contact a local Maryland defense lawyer for advice today at (301) 854-9000.

5 Things to Look For Before Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer

The law is often a terrifying thing. No one is thrilled that they need to hire a lawyer. However, accidents happen and mistakes are made, and being prepared beforehand is the best possible way to reduce your anxiety in a time of crisis.

Finding the right lawyer to represent you, whether it be for DUI charges, assault, or a speeding ticket violation, is of the utmost importance. This individual is going to be the one responsible for your future, and therefore you want to make sure to choose wisely.

We have taken the time to answer five common questions.

1. What is your consultation process?

We offer a free consultation process. We are available via telephone, email, and livechat, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, we can talk with you in whatever language you prefer. We have staff members fluent in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

2. Do you have testimonials available? How do I know your reputation?

Our fundamental source of new clients is client referrals. We take pride in our results. We have a five star rating on Google Plus and Facebook. We have a level ten rating on AVVO.

 Many of our clients write statements about their experience with our firm and we urge you to read them. This information is the best way to get a sense of our work, commitment to our clients, and results.

3. What is your experience?                                 

You want a lawyer with experience in your PARTICULAR kind of case. Our litigation team lives, works, and studies, in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. We are local lawyers with National recognition for our trial advocacy. Mr. Portner, our managing partner, has been recognized by the multi-million dollar advocacy forum for his success in the courtroom. He is also a distinguished Top One Hundred National Trial Lawyer.

4. How will they expect to bill you?

We are very open and forthcoming about our billing process. In terms of our criminal defense fee, we traditionally bill a flat fee. This depends on the charge, location, and amount of preparation necessary.

5. How will you communicate with us?

We are always available. You can reach out to us on Facebook, email, or phone. We take pride in our responsiveness and communication. We have an experienced litigation team that will keep you updated on every step of your case and what we are doing for you. 

If you have been charged with a crime in Maryland, call us today for a free consultation at (301) 854-9000.

Charged with Assault in Maryland --Three Things You Need to Know Before Talking to a Lawyer

1.     Don't bring your friends to your meeting with the attorney.

• This should go without saying in any type of case, but especially in an assault case if your friends were at the scene of the alleged assault, or were involved in any way.  
• If you and some of your friends or acquaintances are all charged in an assault, don't make the mistake of thinking you're all "in this together."
• Why?  Your best defense might be that the real perpetrators of the assault were the other individuals there, not you.  Or, that you were just trying to break up a fight that was being instigated by someone else.
• Two: The attorney, if he knows what he's doing, won't have a meeting with both of you, because he knows there's a conflict.  One of you will get sent home and you don't want that person to be you.

2.     Assault is a very serious charge in Maryland.  Don't take it lightly.

• First degree assault is a felony and punishable by up to 25 years in prison. 
• Second degree assault, which is the more common form of assault charge we see, is a misdemeanor - but still punishable by 10 years in prison and a $2,500 fine.
• A first degree assault conviction requires proof that you intended to cause serious bodily harm to the victim. On the other hand, you can be convicted of second degree assault for what the law calls an "offensive touching" or for simply putting someone in fear of bodily harm.  Relatively minor altercations and disputes can easily result in assault charges.

3.     Don't just assume your case will be dropped without a fight.

• It's really common for people charged with assault to be convinced that there's no way the alleged victim is going to show up in court, and then lo and behold, they appear in court ready for trial.
• I don't care what you think about the alleged victim's credibility, the State is going to take their allegations seriously.
• You might have to go through an entire trial to prove your innocence.  You do not want to be caught without any attorney in this situation.

If you have been charged with a crime in Maryland, call us today to speak to one our experienced Maryland criminal defense attorneys for a free consultation or if you would like more information please feel free to contact our office at (301) 854-9000 and schedule an appointment at our office in Baltimore or throughout Maryland, or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Maryland-Criminal-Defense/