DUI

Baltimore DUI Lawyer

When you need a Baltimore DUI lawyer, you’ll find skilled and knowledgeable representation at the Law Offices of David B. Shapiro. Our experience and expertise when it comes to this area of the law will be to your benefit. We will do all we can to protect your freedom and help you get back to your normal life.

If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence, it can be a frightening and confusing time. In the state of Maryland, this is not an offense that is taken lightly. You need an experienced and capable attorney to defend you, and that’s what you’ll find at our office. We will examine your case from top to bottom and determine the best possible defense.

We may be able to get you the best outcome through negotiations with the prosecution. We may even be able to prove that mistakes were made during your arrest or booking or that tests given you were unreliable. Whatever our plan of action, we will keep you appraised during every step of the process. If the case needs to go to trial, you can rest assured that we’ll be fully prepared.

If you’re looking for a Baltimore DUI lawyer, the smart choice is the Law Offices of David B. Shapiro. We have an intricate understanding of the laws in this area and all of their complexities. Our goal is to see that you get your license back and experience little to no penalties at all. Call us right away to schedule a consultation.

Baltimore’s approach in DUI/DWI cases

There are two ways that the state tries to prove that you were driving under the influence. It can attempt to prove that you were impaired and should not have been driving, or it can prove that your blood alcohol or breath alcohol level was .08 percent or higher. The prosecution uses field sobriety tests, blood tests, and breath tests to prove its case. Because the state tries to present these methods as infallible, it is critical to have a lawyer who understands how law enforcement builds its case. The penalties are significant if you are convicted of drunk driving. This is an area where many criminal defense lawyers do not have the very specific knowledge and know-how of this highly complicated area of law…sometimes hiring the wrong lawyer may be no better than not hiring a lawyer at all.

Find an attorney who understands the issues raised by “proof” of DUI/DWI in Baltimore

These test mechanisms are not always reliable. Our law firm investigates the application of the breath machine or the conduct of field sobriety tests in an effort to dismantle the State’s case against you. We also make sure that your rights were not violated during a traffic stop. If police officers made mistakes in the procedural or legal aspects of stopping, investigating, arresting or charging you, the DUI case against you may be subject to dismissal. Contact our Baltimore Law Offices at 410-576-9100 to learn more about defending yourself and
securing the services of a law firm that will fully promote your interests and fight vigorously for your rights.

A good Baltimore DUI lawyer will ask you questions

One of the first questions we are often asked is “Do I have a defense? In most instances, the answer is YES.

From the minute a police officer stops, comes into contact with or detains you for any reason, they need to have a lawful basis for doing so. Furthermore, there are specific procedures that must be followed in most instances; if the officer fails to follow the necessary steps or cannot articulate a legal basis to do what they did, we may be able to use that information to have your entire case thrown out of Court and DISMISSED without any penalty whatsoever!

As a result of David Shapiro’s training, education, and experience, we have learned how to evaluate a case and dismantle it. What many people perceive as “technicalities” or “loopholes” often provide the most effective and efficient way to win your case. As lawyers, it is our job to utilize all aspects of law in our zealous representation of you. A great deal of our practice is dedicated to that art if winning DUIs and other criminal cases by continually revising older techniques and developing new ones to show the Court that certain evidence cannot be used against you at the time of trial or to show the jury that the State’s evidence is insufficient to support a guilty verdict.

We have won some of the most difficult cases when ourclients performed horribly on the roadside exercises with extremely high breath readings on our pretrial efforts without ever having to subject our client’s to the risk of trial. No matter how good your lawyer is, there is no such thing as a “sure thing” when it comes to trials and juries. Therefore, it is essential to make sure you hire the best lawyer for you and your particular case. When speaking with lawyers about representing you in DUI or any other criminal matters, do not be embarrassed to ask what their experience and qualifications are as their ability (or lack thereof) may impact the rest of your life.

There are many great lawyers that have been very successful in other areas; unfortunately that success does not necessarily apply to the area of DUI and Criminal Defense. Just spotting the issues is not enough…in our opinion, a great criminal and/or DUI lawyer not only knows how to spot the issues but more importantly how to package them when arguing before a Court or Jury.

• Did you refuse to give a breath, blood or urine test?
• Were you involved in an auto accident that led to your arrest?
• Do you suffer from any knee, ankle, back, orthopedic or another physical injury?
• Do you have a medical condition such as vertigo, diabetes or something else that can impair you in any way?
• Was someone watching you continuously for the 20 minutes before you took the breath test?
• Did you take any medication on the day of the arrest?
• Did the police officer read you your rights (Miranda Warnings)?
• Did the police officer require you to do the DUI/roadside exercises?
• Were there headlights or flashing lights while the officer investigated the DUI or had you do the roadside
  exercises?
• When giving a breath test, where you told to “keep blowing” for a prolonged period of time?
• Were you parked in your car sleeping/resting when the police officer approached you?
• Do you believe the officer mistook exhaustion or nervousness for impairment?
• Were you on private property when you were stopped and/or arrested?
• Were you stopped for “weaving” or “failing to maintain a single lane” without there being any other cars on the
  roadway near you?
• Were you told that your license would be automatically suspended if you refused a breath, blood or urine test?

The above list is just some of the issues we look for and diligently address when defending our clients that are charged with DUI. Just because you did not answer yes to any of the examples above, you still may have a defendable case; call us to find out what we can do for you. For example, if you were stopped at a checkpoint or roadblock, the stop itself may have been unlawful. As you can see, the possible issues are endless but make sure you hire a lawyer that knows what they are and how to use them.

We also help people get their licenses back

Many people do not know that there are actually two processes involved in a drunk driving case. The first is the criminal charge of driving under the influence, commonly called “drunk driving”. The second is an administrative procedure by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to suspend your license. Our law firm assists clients with both the criminal and the procedural matters. If you have been arrested for DUI, contact us right away. Time is critical.

Contact Us for your Free Consultation

410-576-9100 dshapirolaw@aol.com