Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney
Maryland is home to a number of large cities such as Baltimore, Annapolis, and Ocean City. It is also home to many landmarks such as the Fort McHenry National Monument and the National Aquarium. If you like sports, you’re encouraged to visit Camden Yards for a baseball game or M&T Bank Stadium for a football game. The University of Maryland has both academic and sports programs that are among the best in the country. Of course, if you are charged with a crime by state authorities, you may also get to see the inside of a Maryland holding facility.
What to Do When Interacting with Authorities
The best thing to do when interacting with a police officer is to obey that person’s orders even if it means being taken into custody and transported to jail. Attempting to evade or obstruct an investigation may only lead to more charges or charges being upgraded from misdemeanors to felonies. Of course, it’s important to understand that you have the right to remain silent, which means refusing to answer questions does not count as obstruction.
In fact, if you ask for an attorney, authorities must refrain from asking any further questions. If they continue to question you, any statements that you make while under duress may be suppressed during trial. However, if you say anything of your own free will before your Maryland criminal defense attorney arrives, your words might still be used against you.
Depending on the strength of the case against you, staying silent may prevent the state from gathering information needed to press charges. Furthermore, the types of questions that you’re asked may give you an idea as to what the government knows. Your attorney may be able to use that to your advantage when it comes time to go to trial or to negotiate a plea deal.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney
& Former District Attorney
Local Counsel
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Linda Julin McNamara
Former Chief, DOJ Appeals
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Kevin M. Sheridan
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Dennis A. Wichern
Former Special Agent-in-Charge (DEA)
Why You Should Consider Hiring One of Our Attorneys
One of the key reasons that you should consider our firm is that most of our attorneys are former federal prosecutors or have spent time as members of agencies such as the IRS, OIG, and DEA. We also have team members who have spent time with the Department of Justice (DOJ), which means that they know how the government thinks when pursuing criminal cases.
This can be important when it comes to preparing for a trial or when negotiating a plea deal. Our attorneys will remain aggressive even if you signal that you want a plea deal in your case because it gives you more leverage to obtain the best possible deal. It also shows the state that you’re willing to fight in the event that the government fails to negotiate in good faith.
Another reason to hire our firm is that you won’t be represented by a junior associate or paralegal. Instead, the person assigned to your case is a senior associate who will be by your side from start to finish.
An Overview of the Cases We Handle
Our firm will take on almost any type of criminal case whether you’re charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. Furthermore, we may be able to assist in your case even if it involves both state and federal charges. This may occur if you commit a crime against a federal agent or commit a crime that takes place on property owned by the federal government. Let’s take a closer look at some of the cases we’ll handle and what we may be able to do to help you.
Assault and Battery
You can be charged with assault if you intentionally put someone in apprehension of imminent harm. Battery only occurs if you willfully touch another person without consent and cause harm or offense to a victim. These charges may be labeled as misdemeanor or felony offenses depending on the facts of a given case.
Drug Possession
State law prohibits you from being in possession of controlled substances such as cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. It may also be a crime to be in possession of medication that has not been properly prescribed to you. If you are found to be in possession of a significant amount of a controlled substance, you may be charged with intent to distribute. The same may be true if you have scales, spoons, or other items used in the process of distributing drugs.
Larceny
Larceny is another term for theft, robbery, or other crimes that involve depriving people or businesses of their property. While burglary charges may be pursued in connection with a robbery, they are not the same thing. Burglary simply means that you broke into and entered a building with or without force with the intent to commit a theft or a crime of violence. Whether a larceny charge is treated as a misdemeanor or a felony depends on the value of the goods that you allegedly took.
How We May Help
There are a number of strategies that we may use to help you defend against a criminal charge. For example, we may contend that your Fourth Amendment rights were violated after an officer looked through your vehicle without permission. Any evidence that is obtained after an improper search is generally inadmissible at trial.
Officers may also need a warrant to take a blood or urine sample during a traffic stop or for any other reason. If authorities do have a warrant to take items from your home, car, or person, it may be suppressed if there are issues with the chain of custody. After the chain of custody is broken, it may be difficult or impossible to prove that items introduced as evidence at trial actually belong to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I allowed to speak freely to my attorney?
Yes, you are allowed to say whatever you want to your attorney without fear of having your words used against you. It’s worth noting that attorney-client privilege typically lasts for the rest of your life, so you can feel confident that your secrets will be safe after your case is over. Furthermore, anything that you say to an attorney before hiring that person may also be considered confidential. For example, anything that you say during the initial consultation is privileged because you are talking to someone who may be your attorney in the future.
What happens if I'm acquitted of the charges against me?
Let’s say that you are acquitted of drug possession related to a traffic stop. If you are acquitted of the charge, the state cannot try you again related to that same incident. However, if you were also charged with a federal crime, the federal government can take your case to trial. Furthermore, you could be charged with drug possession in connection with other incidents that might happen in the future.
Do charges stay on my record if I'm acquitted?
Generally speaking, criminal charges are not necessarily removed or sealed from view after an acquittal. Your Maryland criminal defense attorney can talk more about the process of obtaining an expungement in your case or otherwise having charges sealed. This would mean that they wouldn’t appear in a criminal background check conducted by an employer, landlord, or other person or entity interested in your history. It’s worth noting that you may be able to have charges expunged or sealed if you are convicted and have completed the entirety of your sentence.
What happens if I'm granted bail?
If you are granted bail, you have the right to pay a fee to secure your release from jail while your case is pending. However, there are often conditions applied when granted your release. For instance, you may have to abide by a curfew, abstain from using alcohol or drugs, and agree to make all court appearances.
If you fail to abide by those or any other terms imposed by a judge, your bail may be increased or revoked. Your Maryland criminal defense attorney may take steps to ensure that you have the right to bail out or reduce the amount that you have to pay. If you violate your bail, your attorney may take steps to convince the judge to allow you to remain free.
Can you guarantee an outcome in my case?
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee any sort of outcome in a legal proceeding. Instead, the facts of the case and your desire to go to trial or seek a plea deal will generally influence how a case plays out. Other factors beyond our control may also play a role in whether charges are dropped or reduced or if you are acquitted by a jury. These factors may include a witness recanting or a judge ruling certain pieces of evidence inadmissible at trial.
Contact The Criminal Defense Firm Today
If you want to learn more about how we may be able to help in your case, call our nationwide hotline number at 866-603-4540 or reach out online.