Preparing for a DUI Drug Trial in Annapolis

In Annapolis, DUI drug charges are taken incredibly seriously. These charges have the ability to impact an individual’s life in the long-term, taking a toll on both their personal and professional lives.

It is crucial that any individual facing a DUI drug charge contact an experienced lawyer immediately. An attorney will help to ensure that an individual is properly prepared for their DUI drug trial, and will mount a case to help achieve a successful outcome.

Proving a DUI Drug Charge

It is much more difficult to prove a DUI drug test as opposed to an alcohol DUI. The exacting nature of the 12-step DRE process requires each element to be completed perfectly. Not every officer will get their DRE certification retested, which must be done within a certain window of time.

It is unlike the alcohol process, in which the officers are getting refreshers several times throughout the year.

Law enforcement is constantly using the alcohol related DUI process, especially if, for example, it is just part of a general midnight shift and they have pulled someone over. The constant benefit of knowledge for anything involving alcohol is always relevant, but it is not as relevant for drugs.

If marijuana is legalized, officers may have to reevaluate the necessity to be educated in certain drug DUI procedures. It is critical that an individual knows whether the officer that charged them with a crime is knowledgeable of the DUI drug process, as it will help them prepare for their DUID trial in Annapolis

Process of the Case

After being charged with a DUID in Annapolis, a client will get a court date for the district court. There are numerous judges in Ann Arundel County, and it is important that an individual contact an attorney that has experience in front of many of the county judges.

An experienced lawyer will have a solid expectation of what the sentencing may or may not be. Hiring the proper lawyer is essential in effectively preparing for a DUID trial in Annapolis.

An individual always retains the right to do what is called a pre-jury trial. If one of the citations carries greater than 90 days of possible incarcerable time, an individual would have a trial in the circuit court, which is also in Annapolis. That consists of 12 people from the voter pools of Anne Arundel County that would be selected as jurors, and they would have to find the person guilty or innocent unanimously. It is the state’s obligation to prove their case.

If the defense were to lose in district court at trial and wanted to appeal it, they could do so at the Circuit Court as well.

The expectation is that the person is going to go to court at least one time. Also, they will have the opportunity to request a Motor Vehicle Administrative (MVA) hearing. That is another hearing, and so the expectation may be at least two hearings. For the MVA hearing, though, not only does the person have to request it but they will have to pay for it. It is $150 to make that request.

Contacting an Attorney

It is important that an individual contacts an attorney as soon as possible when preparing for a DUI drug trial in Annapolis. An experienced lawyer will want to get a statement from the client about anything and everything they recall from the time the crime was alleged. The client should hire an attorney as soon as possible so that the memory of the event is preserved, and the evidence is gathered as efficiently as possible.

A lawyer will want to have their client give them as much information as possible in the moment. It is critical to get this information quickly, as once the DUI arrest is in the system, it will be scheduled for trial.

An individual will want to hire an attorney at the very beginning of the case so that they can have the lawyer in court during the first appearance. The court cannot, and will not, always grant a continuance if a lawyer enters after a date is put in the system. There are rules that attorneys have to follow and judges do not always have to allow the attorney to be present during this hearing, so if the person is denied the attorney that they have chosen, the client is going to limit their options in how to move forward.