Baltimore

With our main office located just steps from the Circuit Court, the Baltimore Criminal defense lawyers at the Herbst Firm are standing by to fight for you from the minute we are hired. The Herbst Firm has been located in Baltimore City since 2009 and has successfully defended hundreds of clients in both state and federal cases. Baltimore City has a unique criminal justice system that can be extremely frustrating for defendants and lawyers alike. Knowing the ins and outs of the local system can often play a major role in not only the ultimate outcome of a case, but also whether the defendant is at home with his or her family rather than in jail while the case is pending. Benjamin has secured the release of dozens of defendants who would otherwise have spent months or even years behind bars. He has won jury trials in the city for serious felony offenses involving firearms and aggravated assault and is also a skilled domestic violence lawyer that knows the North Avenue Courthouse extremely well.

Baltimore City has three district courthouses and the two circuit court buildings. Cases arising out of the northern and western parts of the city will likely be handled in the Wabash Avenue courthouse, while cases from the south (including traffic citations and arrests on 895 and 95) are often handled in the Patapsco Avenue court. The exception is that all domestic violence cases are sent to the DV unit in the North Avenue courthouse. North Avenue handles regular criminal and traffic misdemeanors that occur downtown but is the center of all DV cases and protective order violations. Bail reviews are held at Wabash for adult males and Patapsco for adult females and juveniles. Having three different district courthouses can be confusing and tough to navigate, but Benjamin is standing by to help. He has extensive experience at all three district courthouses and the circuit court if you have a felony or request a jury trial.

Not including civilian complaints, Baltimore City criminal cases are almost exclusively initiated by the Baltimore Police Department, as there is no other local law enforcement agency that actively patrols the city. The MTA Police however have a major presence on all the highways that cross the Inner Harbor, including both Harbor Tunnels. The MTA police aggressively patrol these areas looking for traffic violations as well as gun and drug violations occurring within vehicles. While recent court rulings regarding marijuana odor searches have hampered their ability to search vehicles, the MTA Police still make numerous arrests for gun and drug charges. Anyone from a gun friendly jurisdiction such as Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia should expect heightened suspicion when being pulled over by the MTA police.

There are numerous jails in Baltimore City, though the majority of criminal defendants are held at Central Booking or BCBIC until their trial. Benjamin is always available to visit his clients at any jail facility in the city including MRDCC, the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, MTC and the Youth Detention Center. He will file a bail review or habeas motion right away after being hired for incarcerated defendants and he always pushes for hearings to be set as soon as possible. Regardless of the charge or whether it is an adult or juvenile case, Benjamin does whatever it takes for his clients. Call him anytime at 410-207-2598 to discuss further.