Quick answer: Yes. For ordinary moving violations, Maryland has no once-per-lifetime limit on probation before judgment (PBJ), so you can legally get a PBJ more than once. It is always the judge’s discretion, and a second request is harder to win. Only two situations bar a second PBJ outright: a DUI/DWI (or a listed vehicular Read More
Maryland MVA Hearings: What to Expect and How to Request One
Quick answer: A Maryland MVA hearing is an administrative hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) where you contest an action against your driver’s license — most often a per se suspension after a DUI stop under Md. Code, Transp. § 16-205.1. It is separate from your criminal Read More
Underage DUI in Maryland: What Drivers Under 21 Are Actually Facing
Maryland operates a near-zero tolerance framework for drivers under 21. A BAC of 0.02 or higher triggers administrative license action — well below the 0.08 per se DUI threshold that applies to drivers 21 and older. Under 21 with BAC 0.02 to less than 0.08 generally triggers a license suspension and administrative consequences. Under 21 Read More
DUI’s Impact on Insurance and Employment in Maryland
A Maryland DUI conviction can multiply auto insurance premiums by two to four times for three to five years, trigger policy non-renewal by standard-market carriers, force the driver into the nonstandard insurance market, and require a financial responsibility filing through the MVA. On the employment side, a DUI conviction shows up on most background checks, Read More
DUI Plea Options and PBJ in Maryland: What Actually Happens in Court
Quick answer: You have four plea options in a Maryland DUI case: plead not guilty and go to trial, negotiate a plea down to the lesser DWI under Transp. § 21-902, plead guilty, or ask the court for probation before judgment (PBJ) so no conviction is entered. PBJ is usually the goal on a first Read More
Second and Subsequent DUI Offenses in Maryland: Mandatory Jail and Escalating Penalties
A second-offense Maryland DUI within 5 years carries a mandatory minimum 5 days in jail (10 days if the BAC was 0.15 or higher), a maximum of 2 years in jail, a $2,400 fine, and 12 MVA points. A third-offense DUI carries up to 3 years in jail and a $3,000 fine. A fourth-offense DUI Read More
Can You Refuse a Breathalyzer in Maryland?
Quick answer: Yes. No one in Maryland can hold you down and make you blow — Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 10-309(a)(1)(i) says a person “may not be compelled” to take the test. But there are three different tests on a Maryland DUI stop, and refusing them carries three completely different prices. One costs you Read More
First-Offense DUI Penalties in Maryland: What You’re Actually Facing
Quick answer: A first-offense DUI in Maryland under Transp. § 21-902(a) carries up to 1 year in jail, a fine up to $1,200, and 12 points on your driving record. A first DWI under § 21-902(b) is lighter: up to 2 months, a $500 fine, and 8 points. On top of the criminal case, the Read More
Out-of-State Driver Charged with DUI in Maryland: What Happens Next
Quick answer: If you live in another state and get a DUI in Maryland, you still have to deal with the Maryland case. Maryland charges you under Transp. § 21-902 no matter where your license was issued, the MVA can suspend your privilege to drive in Maryland, and the conviction gets reported to your home Read More
DUI vs. DWI in Maryland: What’s the Real Difference?
DUI and DWI in Maryland are two separate charges under the same statute — Md. Code, Transp. § 21-902. DUI (Driving Under the Influence) is the more serious offense, generally charged when a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08 or higher, or when impairment is clearly demonstrated. DWI (Driving While Impaired) is a lesser Read More