Probation Before Judgment in Maryland

Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) is a disposition for criminal and traffic cases, which means that a defendant will either plea or be found guilty, but the Court may then defer proceedings and place the defendant on probation before entering the judgment into Court record. The result is that the guilty finding is essentially struck before…

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DR-15A in Maryland

After making a DUI arrest, officers must confiscate the driver’s Maryland driver’s license and provide form DR-15A, which is both an Officer’s Order of Suspension and a temporary driver’s license. The temporary license is valid for 45 days from the issue date (or until an MVA license hearing, if requested within 10 days of the…

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DR-15 in Maryland

While conducting a DUI investigation, officers in Maryland must properly follow a set of steps in order to ensure that their evidence will be admitted during trial. At the scene of the traffic stop, the officers may ask the driver to perform field sobriety tests. If the driver fails these tests, or if the officer…

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First Degree Assault in Maryland

In Maryland, first degree assault occurs when someone intentionally causes or attempts to cause serious physical injury. An injury is deemed serious if a substantial risk of death or permanent disfigurement is created. The use of a firearm to commit the assault also qualifies it as first degree assault. Firearms include handguns, antique firearms, rifles,…

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DUI per se in Maryland

In Maryland, DUI per se (Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol per se) is a charge that involves simply being the driver of a vehicle, consenting to a BAC measurement, and measuring above 0.08. Impairment is not a factor in a DUI per se charge. If the officer makes the traffic stop resulting in a…

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