A drunk driving or impairment charge has serious consequences, so you need skilled legal counsel to defend you. Being charged with a DUI or DWI offense in Maryland could subject you to:
- Substantial fines
- Loss of your driving privileges
- Incarceration
- Probation
These legal ramifications can also affect the rates you pay for automobile insurance or result in the cancellation of your insurance. If being able to drive is required by your employment, the effects of a drinking and driving charge could cost you your livelihood. The experience of the DUI/DWI Defense Lawyers in Annapolis, you hire can directly affect the outcome of your case when faced with these consequences. It is important that you are represented by an attorney highly skilled and aggressive in the defense of drunk driving cases, including those that involve boating while intoxicated.
Experienced Drunk Driving Defense Lawyers
The Annapolis DUI lawyers at Cochran & Chhabra, LLC, are trained and certified in DUI/DWI detection and the proper administration of field sobriety tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the same training and certification required for police officers. We possess the knowledge, skills, experience and expertise to properly handle your case, and ensure the protection of your legal rights. We can make a difference in the outcome of your case.
Each case is different, and many factors affect the law as it applies to a particular set of facts and circumstances. We carefully examine your specific facts and circumstances when handling your case and preparing your legal defense. We answer your questions and take the time to explain what to expect when we go to court and at hearings before the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). We care about our clients and want your confidence.
Our firm has handled thousands of DUI/DWI offenses. In fact, our founding attorney, Gill Cochran, has been pivotal in establishing case law regarding the rights of those accused of drunk driving. A vast majority of our clients come from former client referrals because we truly give a damn about our clients.
We recognize that many attorneys feel they are equipped to handle the defense of DUI/DWI cases. Unfortunately, on a daily basis we see attorneys not doing justice for their clients by pleading them guilty in cases that should have been presented for trial. It simply is a travesty as to how often this occurs.
We don't mail solicitation letters. We don't claim to be the least expensive attorneys in town. We promise our utmost time and attention to your case. We urge you: PLEASE don't get swayed by the "cheapest guy in town" approach. This is a serious matter that deserves the greatest attention!
Our consultation is free — do yourself a favor and call us to discuss your case.
What To Do If You Are Stopped By The Police
- Make no admission to drinking.
- Make no admission to drug use.
- Tell the officer you want to cooperate, but do not submit to field sobriety testing.
- Do not submit to a preliminary breath test.
- Immediately request to speak to an attorney.
You have the right to consult a DUI/DWI Defense Lawyers in Annapolis before consenting to a test for alcohol concentration and/or drug or controlled dangerous substance concentration.
A juvenile suspected of a DUI or DWI offense should always contact a criminal law firm. Juveniles have the same constitutional protections afforded to adult offenders, and need the advice and assistance of an attorney at this critical time.
We Are Not Afraid To Challenge The Police To Protect Your Constitutional Rights
In 1986, Gill Cochran challenged the constitutionality of the Maryland State Police's refusal to allow him a face-to-face consultation with his client who had been arrested for DUI/DWI and to administer his own breath test before advising that client whether he should submit or refuse the state-administered breath test. Maryland's highest appellate court, the Court of Appeals, agreed with Gill Cochran and ordered that an individual arrested under suspicion of drunk driving has a constitutional due process right to consult an attorney prior to deciding whether to submit to a police-administered breath test. When charged with a drunk driving offense, it is critical that you consult with a DUI attorney before submitting to a breath or blood test to determine alcohol concentration.
Police officers are required by law to properly advise you of your rights with regard to submitting to a test for alcohol concentration or refusing a test. These are not Miranda rights. This is advice specifically detailing the administrative sanctions to be imposed against your driving privileges in Maryland if you take a test for alcohol concentration that results in a reading of .08 percent or more, or if you refuse a test. Problems occur when you are not properly advised by the officer, and when individuals under the influence or impaired by alcohol are confused by the information given.
There are only two circumstances in which Maryland law requires a person involved in a motor vehicle accident who is detained by a police officer under suspicion of DUI/DWI to submit to mandatory testing for alcohol or drug concentration:
- When the accident resulted in a life-threatening injury to another person
- When the accident resulted in the death of another person
Except in these circumstances, there is no compulsion to take a test for alcohol or drug concentration.
Contact DUI/DWI Defense Lawyers in Annapolis For A Free Consultation
For a free consultation to discuss the details of your drunk driving case and obtain legal advice from qualified and experienced Annapolis drunk driving defense attorneys, call Cochran & Chhabra, LLC, toll free at 888.268.5515 or contact us online. We are available 24/7 and often meet with clients in trouble in the middle of the night. We make home and hospital visits to clients who are injured. We serve clients in Annapolis, Baltimore and everywhere else in Maryland.
