Maryland Out-of-State DUI Lawyer

Whether you are a local driver or driving in from out of town, getting charged with a DUI in Maryland is a serious offense. Law enforcement takes intoxicated driving accusations very seriously regardless of your home state, as should you. If you are facing impaired driving charges as a visitor, you may wish to contact a Maryland out-of-state DUI lawyer.

An experienced attorney could guide you through the complex legal process that comes with being charged with a driving offense outside of your home state. You may be facing license suspension in Maryland as well as in the state where your license is registered. This penalty, as well as others, could be difficult to handle without legal counsel on your side.

How an Out-of-State Driver is Affected by a DUI Charge in Maryland

A driver from out-of-state is subject to the same laws as any other driver in Maryland. This means that their Maryland driving privileges can be impacted in the same way as any other driver. The Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) regulates driving privileges in Maryland. They could suspend someone’s driving privileges in the state and could determine whether or not a driver is licensed in Maryland.

Any outcome of either MVA proceedings or the criminal DUI court proceedings may impact a person’s driving privileges in Maryland. The decisions made in either of these courts could have a direct impact on a person’s driving privileges in their home state. Almost every jurisdiction in the country has a reciprocity agreement with other states.

This means, for example, if a person’s driving privileges are suspended in Maryland and they have a driving license in Virginia, the Virginia DMV could implement a suspension based on the Maryland ruling. The person would have to take care of the issue in Maryland to clear the suspension or keep their Virginia license.  Although someone may be licensed out-of-state, a Maryland DUI charge could have a direct impact on their ability to drive in any state.

Differences in the Regional Rules That Apply to DUI Charges

There are differences in the local rules that apply to DUI charges. Each state, and sometimes county, has different rules and laws regarding drinking and driving, and there are likely different penalties. These discrepancies may also include things to consider when looking at the evidence to support an allegation of drinking and driving.

The most impactful differences between jurisdictions include if a person refuses to participate in a breathalyzer or refuses to provide a blood or urine sample for testing. For example, the refusal of submitting to a breath, blood, or urine test may not be used against an offender at trial in Maryland. A person’s refusal to participate may not be used to infer that they had something to hide or that the result of that test would be incriminating. In D.C., however, the government is allowed to use that refusal as evidence that the person was possibly impaired.

Another significant difference relates to driving privileges. In Maryland, when someone’s license is suspended, they may still be able to obtain limited driving privileges. That means that the person may be allowed to drive for a specific purpose, usually to travel to and from work or school. In Washington, D.C., if their license is suspended, it is fully suspended. There are no exceptions to allow restricted driving privileges in D.C. the way that there are in Maryland. An experienced out-of-state DUI attorney in Maryland may know these regional nuances and could use them to defend you in your DUI case effectively.

What is the National Driver Registry?

The National Driver Registry is a database administered under the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It is a repository for information from the state and across the country to keep track of any suspensions, restrictions, or sanctions on someone’s driving privileges.

Anytime someone has a mark against their license or driving record, it is recorded in a catalog and kept track of in the National Driver Registry. Law enforcement uses the registry to keep track of an individual’s driving history and any restrictions on their ability to drive arising out of other jurisdictions.

Application to an Out-of-state Driver Charged with a Maryland DUI

It applies to an out-of-state driver who has been charged with a DUI in Maryland because law enforcement and the state prosecutor’s office could use the National Driver Registry to identify if a person has had previous infractions against their driver’s license.

They could tell if their license is currently suspended or if there are increased revocations against their license from another jurisdiction in the past, and if they have had any other traffic violations.

For the prosecution of a criminal case, the government also has access to national criminal databases. It is their standard resource for identifying previous serious infractions and criminal activities, such as a DUI. They could also use the National Driver Registry to look at other offenses that may not have resulted in criminal charges but could have resulted in DMV proceedings and other penalties.

The registry could be a source of information that law enforcement of the state could use to build a case against an out-of-state driver charged with a DUI in Maryland. That DUI charge would not go to the National Driver Registry if a person were convicted or the conviction in Maryland resulted in a suspension of driving privileges.

Contact a Maryland Out-of-State DUI Attorney

DUI charges can have many severe consequences and could impact your ability to drive. Matters can become even more complicated if you are charged with a DUI when you are driving while out of your home state.

If you have been charged with a DUI in Maryland but are licensed in another state, you may need legal guidance.  A skilled Maryland out-of-state DUI lawyer may be able to help if you are facing DUI penalties or license suspension. Reach out for a consultation today.