Silver Spring DUI Defense Attorney

Skilled DUI Lawyer Advocating for Clients in Silver Spring, MD

A DUI charge can have a major impact on your life. Many people who are charged with this offense are most bothered by the loss of driving privileges. Losing your license, even temporarily, can be a hassle. Simple things like getting to work or picking up your children from school might become impossible. You might worry about losing your job, either because you cannot get to it or because your employer is not happy about your arrest.

The best thing you can do for yourself after being charged with a DUI is to find an aggressive Montgomery County DUI lawyer to defend you. If your charges are dismissed or you are found not guilty at trial, you can let go of your worries about both the legal and collateral consequences of a DUI. You can return to your life as usual. Even if the evidence against you is overwhelming, there is a lot a lawyer can do to help you. You might be eligible for a diversion program that could keep your record clean.

Maryland's DUI Diversion Program

If you are charged with a misdemeanor DUI, and this is your first offense, you are likely eligible for a diversion program. Most people charged with DUI suffer from a substance abuse problem. Maryland's alcohol diversion programs are designed to treat the offender for their substance abuse disorder rather than punishing them for the DUI it led to. If you successfully complete the program, your charge can be dismissed.

Felony DUI Defense Attorney in Silver Spring, MD

A felony DUI is a serious legal matter. Your DUI might be charged as a felony if:

• This is your third or subsequent DUI in a ten year period,
• You had a young child in the car,
• You were speeding excessively,
• You had an extremely high BAC, or
• Someone was injured or killed.

Felony DUIs come with serious consequences. You could face over a year in prison and steep fines, along with a very long loss of driving privileges.

DUI Defense Strategies We Use

Our attorneys are well-versed in a number of DUI defense strategies. We will carefully assess your case to determine which defense strategy might serve you best. Defenses we use include:

• Challenging the field sobriety tests - These tests can be wildly inaccurate and are often unfairly influenced by issues like the weather, the type of surface used for testing, and any medical conditions the defendant has.
• Challenging breath or blood testing results - Although chemical tests are more scientific than field sobriety tests, they are not perfect. We often find issues with the equipment or procedure used to administer these tests.
• Arguing involuntary intoxication - Especially in the case of drug DUIs, there is sometimes an issue of involuntary intoxication. For example, if you did not know that the food at a house party was laced with THC, you may not be liable for your conduct after you became intoxicated by mistake.
• Questioning the legality of the traffic stop - Police officers need to show that they had reasonable suspicion that you were drunk or committing another crime in order to pull you over. Officers sometimes make DUI stops based on a feeling rather than demonstrable facts.

Using these strategies and more, we are often able to have DUI charges dismissed or reduced.

Contact a Silver Spring, MD DUI Defense Lawyer

The Law Offices of Gerstenfield & Demirji, PC. is dedicated to providing the best DUI defenses possible. Our experienced team of Montgomery County DUI lawyers will do all we can to help you avoid harsh consequences. Contact us at 301-589-9500 for a complimentary consultation.