MVA Hearings in Maryland

Driving under the influence is one of those cases where it is important to contact a Baltimore DUI lawyer as soon as possible. So if you get pulled over tonight, you should be contacting an attorney as soon as you get a chance, either in the early hours of the morning, or first thing in the morning if you have to.

The seriousness of those charges impacts you both in the legal proceedings in court as well as in administrative proceedings where your license can be suspended or restricted. If you refuse to take a breathalyzer, instead of having a suspension of 270 days for refusal, you can have an Intoxilyzer put in your car so you are breath tested every time you get into your vehicle.

This is where the Intoxilyzer, better known as the interlock system, can be applied. There are 5 companies recognized by the State of Maryland and each of those companies has local installation areas where you can then have it installed in your vehicle so you can still drive. For this reason, it is very important to contact an attorney as early as you can so you can prepare for both the criminal and administrative proceedings and minimize the harm.

Where are MVA Hearings Heard in Baltimore?

Motor Vehicle Administrative hearings are done through the Office of Administrative Hearings. Their main office is in Baltimore County. In Hunt Valley, on Gilroy Avenue, there is the Office of Administrative main building where a substantial number of cases are heard. It is a little bit more formal, with a little bit more volume over there than at the local MVA. There are plenty of local MVAs in the county where you certainly can have a hearing if it is available.

Outside of Baltimore, you will typically see MVA hearings conducted at Gaithersburg MVA, Glen Burnie MVA, or the Waldorf MVA. They usually occur at day hubs where they have an two or sometimes three rooms that are available and you have a hearing with the administrative judge present.

At the MVA it looks very informal. That’s not to say that Administrative hearings aren’t formal, but they are a little bit more relaxed than you find at the courthouse. But when your license to drive, your privilege to drive is on the line and you can get a little bit more of the setting that is more indicative of a courtroom setting, you want to take that. You want everyone to take it seriously.