Examining DUI And DWI Penalties in Maryland

If you’re found to be allegedly driving with a 0.04 percent blood alcohol level (BAC) or higher in Maryland, you’ll need to contact a DUI law firm in La Plata. If you’re under the age of 21, the rules are even stricter. You can be charged with a DUI offense for allegedly driving with a 0.02 percent BAC. Your DWI attorney can help you understand the potential penalties involved if convicted. These penalties, which involve fines and jail time, become increasingly more severe if you have prior convictions.

Implied Consent Violations

Maryland is an implied consent state, which means that all drivers in Maryland are presumed to have given their consent to chemical testing. If you refuse chemical testing to determine your BAC, you’ll be subject to automatic penalties. For a first offense, you’re facing a license suspension of 120 days. A second or third offense can result in a one-year suspension.

First Conviction

If you’re consulting a criminal lawyer for the first time and it involves a DUI offense, you could be facing up to one year in jail. You could also be required to pay a fine of no more than $1,000 and have your license suspended for six months. For a first-time DWI conviction, you’re facing up to two months in jail, a fine of up to $500, and a 60-day license suspension.

Second Conviction

If you’ve already been convicted of DUI or DWI, your criminal defense attorney will advise you that you can expect more severe penalties if convicted again. For a second DUI, you could be facing up to two years in prison, a one-year license suspension, and a fine of up to $2,000. A second DWI conviction can result in a 120-day license suspension, a fine of up to $500, and up to one year in jail. Either conviction will also result in an ignition interlock device being installed in your vehicle.

Third Conviction

Under Maryland law, a third conviction of DUI involves a fine of up to $3,000, a jail term of up to three years, and a revoked license for 18 months. A third DWI conviction can involve a jail term of up to one year, a fine of up to $500, and a license suspension of 12 months.