Carroll County DUI Lawyer

Carroll County lies directly north of Baltimore County, and borders the state of Pennsylvania. It is not the most populated county, but is considered part of the Baltimore Washington metropolitan area and its 8 million residents. Despite lying on the northern border of the state, it is only a 30 minute drive from Baltimore City, and a little over an hour to Washington D.C. The county is predominately rural, but the county has become increasingly suburban in the last decade. Populations in the city of Westminster, and the towns of Sykesville and Mount Airy have seen more residents migrating from more populated areas in the state. Some Carroll County residents even commute to work in the city, which has in part contributed to an increase in traffic on Interstates 795 and 695.

The county has dozens of unincorporated towns, but the largest city and the county seat is Westminster. It is an incorporated city that has one of the few police departments in Carroll County. Most of the law enforcement work in the county is carried out by the County Police Department, but the Maryland State Police, Sheriff, and the Westminster Police Department also have a presence in the county. Crime occurs at a lower rate than in neighboring Baltimore County, but there are still a significant number of DUI and drug arrests each year. DUI is one of the most common crimes, and drunk driving arrests are spread somewhat evenly throughout the county. Heroin, cocaine, and meth are also present in the county, but drug arrests in general are decreasing. While violent crimes levels are relatively low in, there are still numerous incidents of domestic violence spread throughout the county. Assault in the first and second degree, violation of protective orders and malicious destruction of property are common domestic crimes in the county.

If you have been arrested for DUI, drug possession, theft or assault in the second degree, your case will initially be sent to the district courthouse in Westminster. All misdemeanor cases are handled in district court, but it may be advisable to have your case sent to the circuit court. This can be accomplished by requesting a jury trial either in writing or in open court. The circuit courthouse is just one block from the district courthouse, but the way cases are handled can be much different. Circuit court prosecutors often receive their case files further in advance, and therefore plea negotiations can start many weeks before the trial date. This is often not the case in district court, where prosecutors may not know much about their cases until the week before the trial date. This can be beneficial in repeat offender DUI cases and other more complicated matters such as first degree assault, robbery, attempted murder and juvenile criminal cases. All juvenile criminal matters in Carroll County are handled in circuit court unless the defendant has been charged as an adult. If the juvenile has been charged as an adult Benjamin can file a motion to transfer the case to juvenile court in order to make sure there is no permanent record that could impact the defendant's future. It is important to retain an attorney with actual experience defending cases in Carroll County, and Benjamin has that experience. He is available 24 hours a day throughout of his client's cases and always keep them informed. His clients deserve nothing less than skilled and compassionate representation and Benjamin will offer both.