Criminal Defense DUI What is a Waldorf, MD Substance Abuse Program, and Can it Help Me Avoid Jail Time for a Maryland DUI/DWI? By Law Office of Robert Castro, P.A. | May 10, 2023 Share If you have been arrested in Waldorf, MD, Charles County, St. Mary’s County, or any other part of Southern Maryland for DUI/DWI, you need an experienced and talented DUI/DWI criminal defense team to help. Maryland’s best criminal defense attorneys — like the ones at the Law Office of Robert Castro — can work the laws and the facts of your case to obtain a dismissal of the charges or a verdict of not guilty. However, sometimes that is not possible, and the next best resolution is to minimize any possible jail time or eliminate jail time entirely. One option here is to negotiate or convince the judge to impose some sort of alternative punishment. An example is the Maryland substance abuse programs that are administered by special Maryland criminal courts called Adult Drug Treatment Courts (“ADTC”). If you think this might be an option for you, call us at (301) 705-5137 for a consultation. We are available around the clock, 24/7. The idea behind alternative sentencing is to reduce the traumatic effect — both on the accused and their family — of jail time. Alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs are designed to reduce these effects and eliminate the causes of behavior that resulted in criminal conduct. Studies have indicated that such programs actually work. That is, compared to jail time, successful completion of a substance abuse program is related to less recidivism, less alcohol/drug abuse, and fewer repeat-offense arrests. During the process of plea bargaining and talking with the prosecuting attorneys, your Maryland criminal defense lawyer can suggest a willingness to enter such a rehabilitation program in exchange for a “no-jail sentence.” That willingness can, by itself, cause the prosecutors (and the judges) to have more leniency. While the DUI/DWI defendant will still have a conviction on his or her record, at least jail time will be avoided. In general terms, the Maryland criminal court handling your case has the option of sentencing a defendant to a substance abuse program that will be supervised by the county ADTC. In terms of procedure, the criminal court issues a sentencing order placing the defendant in treatment, and the case is then transferred to the relevant ADTC. From that point, the ADTC will supervise and oversee the required alcohol/drug rehabilitation treatment. See here for a general overview. The actual treatment is done by a qualified and certified medical treatment facility. The defendant is required to attend treatment as required and be tested and monitored for alcohol/drug use. The treatment facility makes frequent reports — at least once a month — to the ADTC, and the defendant is required to attend frequent court status sessions. Failure to complete the rehabilitation program generally results in a new sentencing order from the original criminal court. This might mean that jail time is ordered since the agreement was violated. So, if you agree to submit to a rehabilitation program, it is important to graduate. Contact Waldorf, Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer Robert Castro Today This article has been provided by the Law Office of Robert Castro. For more information or questions, contact our office to speak to an experienced Maryland criminal defense lawyer at (301) 705-5137. We are Waldorf, MD, Criminal Defense lawyers. Our address is 2670 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD, 20601.
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