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Maryland DUI Group Therapy

After being processed for a DUI charge, you may feel panicked or unsure of your legal options. Fortunately, it is within your constitutional rights to retain the service of a seasoned attorney who could help you in court. An attorney familiar with DUI charges could help you take proactive courtroom steps like attending Maryland DUI group therapy, and bolster your chances of the court seeing you as a more responsible individual. Doing so could help your sentencing and mitigate the effects of a charge.

DUI Group Therapy Activities Available in Maryland

The DUI group therapy activities that are available to people in Maryland vary by county and jurisdiction, but most have a variety of options available. They range from what is generally referred to as intensive outpatient programs consisting of multi-hour group meetings several times a week to weekly meetings. The most intensive programs are the ones that meet several times a week before participating in an inpatient residential program in which a person lives in for weeks, months, or longer.

The less-intensive weekly meetings are usually run by Alcoholics Anonymous for most DUI cases. They, Narcotics Anonymous, and other 12-step programs provide other options in every county in Maryland.

Potential DUI Group Discussion Topics

DUI group-discussion topics range from the reasons for alcohol abuse to who is affected by alcohol use. There could be a scientific focus on the specific biological impacts of alcohol on a person’s system, the varying degrees of impairment, and the different factors affecting how alcohol is consumed affects persons differently. Groups may include topics on how alcohol affects them individually and their family, their personal life or professional life.

Information on the effects could be the harm it does to others, the danger of drinking and driving, and the threat to others on the road. It could be about learning emotional skills, the difference between guilt and shame, and how to move forward after being arrested or convicted of a DUI. In a more serious context, it could include the negative impact on them or others that alcohol use has and how to accept that and move forward constructively and productively.

Victim Panels Explained

A victim impact panel is a program administered by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. These panels usually meet for about three hours once a month at a county location. The program focuses specifically on the victims of drunk driving, usually of crashes and sometimes fatal consequences or lifelong physical injuries. It informs guests about the impact on survivors who may have lost loved ones due to someone drinking and driving.

A fairly standard condition of any DUI sentence is that a person attends a victim impact panel meeting. It is not a statutory requirement, but it is almost universal that anyone convicted of a DUI offense in Maryland be ordered to attend a victim impact panel. Usually, victim impact panels are administered at a courthouse in each county. However, in some Maryland counties, a local bar association may administer its own version of a victims panel.

Usually, the panels are administered in the evening on a specified day each month, such as the third Wednesday of every month or the second Tuesday. Sometimes, they are held every two weeks, sometimes monthly, but usually at about six p.m., to allow most people time to get off work and travel to the site. If a person lives in another county or even another state, often at their request, the court may allow them to attend a panel in the jurisdiction they live in. Because the panels are generally administered by a national organization, even if the person is outside of Maryland, the panels are often similar.

Contact a Legal Professional Now

Because of the severity of DUIs, it is critical for you to connect with an experienced legal counsel who could help. Mistakes happen, they are a part of everyday life. In the serious event of a DUI charge, however, having an attorney on your side could help your chances of avoiding jail time in lieu of Maryland DUI group therapy. If a court sees that you are proactive, this could too help you at trial. Reach out to an attorney today.

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