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Salisbury DUI Lawyers

1. MacDonald, Andrew: If you have been charged with drunk driving, you need to act quickly to protect your right to drive. In Maryland, if you do not request an administrative hearing with the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) within 10 days after your arrest, your license will be automatically suspended. Don't let it go that far. Call me immediately after your arrest so that we can take the necessary steps to preserve your license. In many cases there can be much harsher consequences for a driver's license through the MVA administrative process than through the criminal court. I urge you to consult with an attorney early during the MVA process to get competent advice on whether to request a hearing.
2. James Anthenelli: In practice, most criminal cases are resolved through plea bargains, not trials. The accused may waive the right to a jury trial, but this must usually be done in writing and before a judge, with some verification that the accused understands the right waived. Furthermore, despite the constitutional provision, not all criminal prosecutions require a jury trial, for example: In many states, there is no right to a jury in trials of juveniles/minors. The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed trials without a jury in state and federal courts for minor offenses that do not carry the threat of prison time or large fines. One noteworthy decision guarantees the right to jury trial only for offenses punishable by more than six months in prison and/or a $500 fine. However, trials for multiple offenses, whose aggregate penalties total that much or more, do not require a jury trial. Those actions which are not technically criminal, yet can result in imprisonment and other sanctions, do not entitle the accused to a jury trial. A contempt proceeding is an example of such an action. However, departure from this rule has been observed when sanctions are sufficiently serious.
3. Robins, Johnson & Wade: Under Maryland law, any person who drives or attempts to drive a motor vehicle on a highway or on any private property that is used by the public in general in this state is deemed to have consented to take a test if the person should be detained on suspicion of driving or attempting to drive while intoxicated (DWI) or under the influence (DUI) of alcohol.