Pretrial Release for Maryland DUIs

Obtaining pre-trial release for Maryland DUIs is a crucial step a person could achieve after a drunk driving arrest. A pre-trial release could give a person the ability to attend to career and family matters, and could give them the time they need to build their defense case for their accusations. If you or a loved one were arrested for drunk driving, reach out to a hard-working DUI attorney for help. A well-practiced lawyer could review your case and fight for you.

How to Get Pre-Trial Release on Bond

With the potential for normal bail, a person in Maryland may be released and supervised by pretrial services. This is something a person’s DUI lawyer could help them with. Pre-trial release is an alternative to paying a money bond. While the defendant will be released without paying any money, they will be subject to some level of supervision and monitored by a division of the probation department called “Pre-Trial Services.”

The conditions of supervision, which are determined by the judge, can include:

• Drug testing
• Restrictions on travel
• Not being allowed to leave the state or their home except to go to and from work or school

Even in DUI cases where a person has paid a bond, a Maryland judge may impose a few conditions for their pretrial release. These conditions usually have to do with staying away from the location of the alleged crime, having no contact with a victim, and abiding by all rules.

There may be specific restrictions related to driving for a DUI charge. In certain cases, judges will impose a restriction on the amount of alcohol they are allowed to consume while they await their court date regardless of whether they are driving. The person’s DUI attorney may be able to argue for conditions that will allow a person to be released. A skilled lawyer could also work for a defendant to be as minimally restricted as possible so that they are able to still go about their lives while waiting for the court date.

Implications of Not Complying With a Pretrial Release

The person who violates the conditions for their DUI pre-trial release in Maryland may be rearrested and locked up and their court date canceled with no chance of bail. Given the seriousness of the violation, they could be forced to sit in jail as they wait for their court date or might receive something as simple as a warning. An individual may receive the harshest response if they tested positive for drugs or skipped a drug test or a meeting while on pre-trial release.

They would then get a new court date and go back in front of the judge to argue again over bond or release conditions. While this activity would not affect a person’s criminal trial, it could be a factor in their release pending that trial. It is also something prosecutors can look at in plea negotiations. As an example, the prosecutor may consider rescinding a plea offer if the person tested positive for controlled dangerous substances while on pretrial release for DUI drugs.

Documents a Person Receives After Being Released From Jail

When a person is released from jail, they should be provided with the charging documents that include the actual statements of charges, which contains the narrative an officer writes up describing the basis for the charges in terms of what happened. The person also should receive any personal property taken from them when they’re arrested. There should be an inventory or documentation to ensure that everything they came in with is returned. For DUI charge, released individuals may receive paperwork from pretrial services stating whether they are going to be subject to drug testing or wearing an ankle bracelet. They should also receive paperwork with a notice for their next court date.

Contact an Experienced Maryland DUI Attorney Immediately

When a person is arrested for DUI in Maryland, they may benefit from consulting a seasoned DUI attorney immediately since they will be taken before the magistrate within 24 hours of their arrest to determine their bail situation. This is an extremely significant hearing with equally significant consequences. A lawyer needs time to make arrangements to represent them at that hearing, start contacting friends or family members to attend and speak on their behalf, and to ensure that the person will return to court and stay out of trouble while awaiting the court date.

Given the quick schedule of hearings, time is of the essence. A person should try and give the attorney as much time as possible to prepare for the hearing so that they may have the best chance of being on their own recognizance or having an affordable bond imposed.