Difference Between DWI and DUI Charges in Prince George’s County

Although both involve someone being intoxicated and operating a motor vehicle, there are still a number of differences between DUI and DWI charges in Maryland. Below, a Prince George’s County DWI lawyer discusses some of these charges and what factors are important when choosing legal representation. For more information on your DWI charge, call and schedule a consultation today.

Breath Test Results Are Lower

For a DWI case generally, the breath test results are substantially lower, and stay around .08, .07, .06, instead of a typical DUI charge which is typically involve someone blowing a .08 or higher. Additionally, in Prince George’s County prosecutors will typically negotiate with your defense attorney as long as your breath alcohol score was below a .1. This means that your defense attorney can likely bring you back a plea offer in a DWI case, which may not be true in most DUI cases.

Prosecutors Are More Flexible

Another major difference between DWI and DUI cases is that prosecutors are a bit more flexible when negotiating a DWI charge due to the fact that it is a lesser offense with regard to the maximum penalties. One important distinction regarding this flexibility, however, is that Maryland’s definition of DWI is “driving while impaired” while most surrounding states use “driving while intoxicated”. As a result of this distinction between DWI charges in Maryland and other places, some other states do not recognize Maryland’s DWI law which can be both a positive or a negative when dealing with prosecutors from other states depending on the state.

Penalties are Less Severe

For a typical DUI charge, penalties are one year in jail and a $1000 fine. For a DWI, however, penalties are 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, an obvious difference between penalties for a first time offense. With that said a defense attorney should not treat these offenses any differently as they should still break the situation down and go after every possible defense strategy as hard as possible.

Choosing An Attorney For a DWI Case

There are a number of different things you need to consider when choosing an attorney for a DWI case in Prince George’s County, the first being accessibility. It is important to have an attorney who you feel comfortable communicating with and who you can reach out to if you have any problems.

Another important factor to consider is how seriously your case will be treated. All DUI and DWI charges are serious and as a result you want your lawyer to take your case as seriously as possible as well. For more information on hiring a DWI lawyer in Prince George’s County or elsewhere in Maryland, call and schedule a consultation today.