Columbia, MD DUI Defense Lawyer

Knowledgeable Attorneys Helping Clients Finding the Best DUI Defense Strategies in Columbia, Maryland

Getting arrested for DUI can come as a shock. You may have thought for a long time that you could safely drive after having a few drinks over dinner, or you may have underestimated how intoxicated you were becoming in a social setting. Or, you may have started a new medication without realizing how significantly it would impair your driving ability.

Most repeat DUI defendants are struggling with substance abuse. Those who are may have simply been at the baseline level of intoxication they are accustomed to, causing them not to feel intoxicated even though their BAC was over 0.08 percent. Regardless of what led to your DUI arrest, you deserve the best legal defense possible.

Law Offices of Marc A. Ominsky, LLC has more than 50 years of combined legal experience. We will work to find the DUI defense strategy that is best for you. Whether it means advocating for alternatives to conviction or taking your case to trial, we will put your interests first. Our hands-on Columbia, MD DUI defense attorneys can help you in real time when you contact us. We will focus on creating the most effective defense strategies possible to minimize the impact of a DUI arrest.

First-Time DUI Charges

If this is your first DUI arrest, the court may be willing to grant probation before judgment. This form of probation can help you avoid a DUI conviction, but you must be willing to complete a court supervision program. You may be required to undergo substance abuse treatment, and you would have to report to a probation officer and submit to drug and alcohol testing. If you successfully complete the program, your case will be dismissed.

You also have a reasonable chance to keep limited driving privileges by requesting an MVA hearing quickly after your arrest. At the MVA hearing, your attorney can argue that your license does not need to be suspended to protect the public from the dangers of drunk driving. A restricted license can allow you to drive only to specific places, like work and medical appointments.

The consequences of a first DUI conviction can be significant. A single DUI is punishable by up to a year in jail. While sentencing that harsh is unlikely, the risk of going to jail for some amount of time is very real.

What Happens After a Second DUI Arrest?

If you have a prior DUI conviction from less than five years ago, being charged with a repeat offense can put you in serious legal jeopardy. The potential term of incarceration increases to two years after a second DUI conviction, and there is a mandatory minimum sentence of five days in jail. While this is a relatively short sentence, spending any amount of time behind bars can be deeply upsetting. Your license will be automatically suspended for a year, and then you will have to use an ignition interlock device for another year when you start driving again.

Third and Subsequent DUI Charges in Maryland

A third or subsequent DUI offense is very serious. You could be facing up to three years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 10 days. The potential jail time increases with each subsequent DUI. Courts are more inclined to use harsh sentencing when a defendant with two or more prior DUI convictions is arrested for DUI again. A judge may feel that you have not learned from your mistakes or are not managing your substance abuse problem, and they may believe that only harsh sentencing will reduce your chances of reoffending.

It may also be extremely difficult to get a restricted driver's license or to restore your driving privileges at all. Courts consider habitual drunk drivers to be a significant danger to the public, and you could face the permanent revocation of your driver's license.

Contact Our Columbia DUI Defense Attorney

Law Offices of Marc A. Ominsky, LLC is committed to providing outstanding DUI defense services. Our knowledgeable Columbia, MD DUI lawyers will work to get you the best results possible. Contact us at 443-539-8712 for a complimentary consultation.