Ellicott City Criminal Defense Lawyer

Ellicott City is county seat or county capital of Howard County, and is the largest unincorporated county seat in the state of Maryland after recently surpassing Towson. It is also the largest unincorporated city in Maryland, with a population of close to 70 thousand residents. Because the city is unincorporated, it does not have its own local police force, and all law enforcement tasks are handled by the County Police, or the sheriff. Regardless of the relatively low crime rate, police are extremely active in the area and devote attention to cases such as alcohol or fake ID citations and prostitution stings. The county police have been known to cite numerous juveniles for underage drinking at Merriweather Post Pavilion concerts while the undercover backpages solicitation stings are becoming more common. Violent crimes such as robberies and assaults are not as frequent as in the surrounding areas of Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Prince George’s County, but there are still incidents of violence. The most common crimes in the area are still DUI, drug possession and theft cases and police regularly patrol the area neighborhoods at night in search of drug activity. Burglary cases including car burglaries are frequently an issue, and house break ins sometimes occur in the numerous single family home neighborhoods. The Firm has handled all of these types of cases and is always available to answer questions about possible representation.

Ellicott City has a downtown area often referred to as the Old or Historic area but it also includes as area that borders the Baltimore County line to the north, and the city of Columbia to the south. The historic area is about a 25 minute drive from Baltimore, accessed by interstate 70 and highway 29, and a 40 minute drive to Washington D.C. The District Court is located on Courthouse drive, across the street from the police department and the county office buildings. Access is easy after turning on Rodgers Ave. coming from Route 40. The Circuit Court, where felony cases, juvenile cases and jury trials are held is located in the new courthouse building on Judicial Way off Bendix Road. If you have been arrested for a crime you will must likely be given a court date in district court, but your case will be transferred to circuit court if you request a jury trial. In most counties asking for a jury trial will likely result in a lengthy postponement, but in Howard County the cases are usually set for trial within 30 days. Additionally, in many counties transferring a case to circuit court will likely result in a better plea offer, but not necessarily in Howard County. The circuit court bench has a reputation for being tough on criminal sentences, so definitely thing twice before asking for a jury trial.

The Herbst Firm’s lawyers have experience and knowledge of the Howard County criminal justice system, and understand that all criminal jurisdictions in Maryland can treat certain crimes differently. If you have been arrested or given a criminal citation by the police, do not gamble with your future! Any criminal, civil or traffic conviction, even one that does not carry jail time, can affect your life permanently. Benjamin Herbst is an Ellicott City resident, and knows the ins and outs of the judicial system. He is available 24 hours a day for a free consultation, and will start working on your case the minute he is hired.