Juvenile DUI Lawyer

Juvenile DUI cases are more common than most people think, and with the legalization of marijuana the number of these cases will continue to rise. Juveniles are not permitted to have any alcohol in their system while driving, but restricted license cases are difficult to prove without the juvenile submitting to a breath test. On the other hand, an officer may be more inclined to simply charge the juvenile with DUI if he or she displays any type of impairment. Police officers are trained to administer standardized field tests or SFTs to detect impairment, but this hardly means they are competent at detecting actual impairment. Additionally, these exercises are highly subjective and difficult for even the most coordinated individuals to perform satisfactorily. Police officers are well aware that their ability to search a vehicle has decreased since legalization, but a search pursuant to a DUI arrest is still valid under Maryland law. Based on our experience, police are more likely to charge a juvenile with DUI in a borderline case than an adult. While this is extremely unjust, once an officer charges a juvenile the immediate solution is to challenge the case in court. Benjamin Herbst is an experienced Maryland juvenile DUI lawyer who has successfully defended hundreds of minors in criminal and traffic charges. He understands the complexities of the juvenile criminal system and fights to make sure his clients do not suffer consequences that could ultimately affect their educational and employment opportunities.

We mentioned marijuana legalization earlier, and it is our belief that police will continue to receive additional training on how to detect impairment due to marijuana. Regardless of how much training they receive, it is still debatable how effective an officer will be at recognizing impairment due to marijuana. After all, officers who encounter juveniles in a traffic stop will have nothing to compare the juvenile’s behavior to, and teenagers are not always responsive to their parents, much less police officers. Marijuana is not legal for minors under the age of 21 to possess or use, so anytime a minor is pulled over, police will be extremely suspicious if they detect the odor of marijuana. Benjamin has successfully defended adults and juveniles in DUI drug cases, and knows how to attack the State’s witnesses. Drug recognition experts or DREs are not always present when a person is arrested for DUI, and this lack of evidence can often lead to an acquittal or dismissal. There are other ways to challenge an officer's decision to charge a juvenile with DUI including demonstrating the flaws of the roadside exercises or arguing lack of probable cause for the traffic stop. DUI drug lawyer Benjamin Herbst has prevailed at juvenile court trials and adult jury trials for all types of DUI and DWI charges in Maryland.

DUI charges carry the possibility of incarceration in Maryland, which is why the juvenile court has jurisdiction anytime a person under the age of 18 is charged. First offenders are not likely to face incarceration, but they could end up with a permanent record and a lengthy license suspension if the case is not handled properly. Driver’s license suspensions can have an adverse effect on a juveniles’ ability to get to work or school, which is not the best interest of anyone. Benjamin’s goal in all juvenile cases is to make sure his client’s future is protected. The last thing any parent wants if for their child’s options to be limited due to a mistake they made as a 16 or 17-year-old. Benjamin will do whatever it takes to protect your child’s future and is prepared to take on the State in all types of juvenile charges. If your child has been charged with DUI or violating a license restriction contact Benjamin Herbst anytime for a free consultation at 410-207-2598. Benjamin handles cases from intake to disposition in all Maryland jurisdictions, and is available 7 days to discuss your options and the possible defenses in your child’s case. Benjamin starts working to dismiss or reduce the charges as soon as he is hired, and will not back down if the best outcome can only be achieved during a trial.

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