What Happens If You Get Convicted for DUI in Rockville, MD with an out of State License?
Being in another state when charged with driving under the influence can be confusing. When individuals are caught DUI in their own state, the procedure is already complicated enough. However, when a person gets pulled over and charged with DUI while they are in another state for a temporary time period, the procedure can be significantly different depending on their specific situation.
If a person is in Maryland with an out of state license when they are charged with DUI they will be called to a hearing in order to determine whether they are guilty or not, just like in any other DUI case. If they are found to be guilty they will be penalized in both their home state and in Maryland. They will most likely have their license suspended in their home state and will have to continue onwards with a proper court trial in order to have their penalties reduced.
If it is determined they are not guilty in this initial hearing, they will neither be penalized in Maryland or their home state and they will be allowed to continue driving as they had before with nothing more than a warning.
Will my home state be informed of my DUI charge?
It is required for Maryland officials to report the DUI offense to one’s home state. If a person is caught drunk driving while they are visiting Maryland then they will have to face the penalties in both Maryland and their home state.
Majority of states follow the Drivers License Agreement (DLA) in which states have to accept out of state licenses and they also have to report certain offenses to the home state as well, including:
- Any serious harm caused by the driver including vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, or any crime committed through the use of their vehicle
- Any DUI charge a person is faced with which is proven in court to be true
- A felony involving a motor vehicle
Anyone who gets themselves into any of the above scenarios will most definitely have their charge reported to their home state and they will have to face the consequences when they get back home.
What can I do to reduce my penalties?
Anyone who is caught DUI when they are not in their home state should definitely consider communicating with a DUI lawyer in Rockville, MD shortly after their confrontation with the police officer. Since DUI penalties are often very serious and can often take a very long time to complete, a person should be vigilant in fighting to reduce their charges directly from the beginning.
If a person is only staying in Maryland for a short period of time and they cannot make it to their hearing, a lawyer will be able to represent them and will also be able to educate them on whether they will have to make arrangements to stay in Maryland longer or whether they can go back and continue their court proceedings when they are home.
