SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS IN MARYLAND
DUI DEFENSE LAWYER IN MARYLAND
Lawmakers want our streets and roads to be safe from drunk drivers. One of the methods used to help ensure safety are sobriety checkpoints. Unfortunately, these checkpoints are not always foolproof, and many a driver has been arrested without probable cause. I am Mark A. Epstein, Attorney at Law. As a DUI defense lawyer in Baltimore Maryland, I have over 30 years of experience successfully defending individuals who have been arrested and charged with DUI, including those who were stopped at a sobriety checkpoint. If this happened to you, realize that you need experienced legal assistance to be sure your rights were not violated. If you don’t take this proactive step, you could very well find yourself with a DUI conviction that may be undeserved.
You most likely will not have had any warning that a sobriety checkpoint has been set up. Once you are in the checkpoint area, officers will stop you and talk with you, looking for any signs of intoxication. This could be slurred speech, the smell of alcohol, clumsy movements, slow reaction times, bloodshot eyes, or other indicators of intoxication. If an officer suspects that you may be intoxicated, he can then administer various tests to determine your level of intoxication. These could include field sobriety tests, breath tests, or urine or blood tests. If any of the results show you were driving while under the influence, you will then be arrested for DUI.
MAKE SURE YOUR RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AFTER A POLICE STOP AND ARREST AT A DUI CHECKPOINT
You should know that you have rights when pulled over at a sobriety checkpoint. One is that are not legally required to submit to field sobriety tests, but the officer probably will not tell you that, but will just order you out of the car to perform the exercises. Even if you agree to submit, and the testing indicates you may be intoxicated, these test are not always accurate and are difficult to perform for many people. Theirs is a great possibility that errors were committed when the tests were administered by the officer. These are all reasons why you should hire my firm. I take great care to fully analyze all the facts of your case, knowing what to look for that can expose the weak points in the prosecution’s case. Contact me as soon as possible and find out how I can help you.