Legal Question in Criminal Law in Maryland

Excessive Charges

My husband was recently arrested in VA on several charges.

The same night he was picked up for these charges MD state police were looking for him because almost a year ago he was charged with DWI (his first offense). But he jumped bail and has a bench warrant out for his arrest there. Bounty hunters were searching for him at our house but he is still detained in VA until his court date late Sept. I planned on bailing him out but the bounty hunters told me that if I did they would pick him up immediately and take him to MD, they also said bail would be reset but at 10x the amount it was. He hasn't been told anything by the people at the jail in VA yet about MD either.

Basically, my question is if I were to bail him out now from VA would he be able to reset a court date with MD without having to go to jail there?


Asked on 8/10/03, 12:55 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

Re: Excessive Charges

You don't say in what Maryland County your husband was charged, this could make a big difference. I have been successful in getting failure to appear warrants lifted in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, but less successful in other counties. The chances of a Judge releasing your husband prior to trial on Drunk Driving is slim when he jumped bail and then got other criminal charges. However, there are arguments available to limit his pre trial jail time. You should employ a Maryland attorney, like myself, to give you further advise and, more importantly, begin working on the Maryland charges.

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Answered on 8/10/03, 1:46 pm
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Excessive Charges

If your husband received bail for charges pending in Virginia, and he was then seized and taken to Maryland by bail recovery agents, it's

unlikely that he would be granted bail in Maryland under the circumstances which you've described.

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Answered on 8/10/03, 7:23 pm
G. Joseph Holthaus III Law Offices of G. Joseph Holthaus

Re: Excessive Charges

Essentially what your husband is facing is failure to appear. I assume a preliminary hearing will be held for his charges in Virginia. He needs to hire an attorney in Virginia if he wants representation for the charges.

Bail charges can result in significant recovery on a civil basis for the bail bondsman. Attempts to avoids the bail bondsman are usually futile and he would be best off by hiring an attorney to deal with this matter. If he has charges outstanding in Maryland then he has already broken the requirements of not being out of the State of Maryland without court permission. The most important aspect is that he face the charges being brought against him. Sometimes a person can think they can outrun the system only to find that the penalty they face is much more servere than having faced the charges. An attorney can assist him with preparing a defense or presenting mitigation.

The best thing you can tell your husband is to stop denying his substance abuse problem and come to grips with what the court may do. Should your husband choose to hire a Maryland attorney for his drinking and driving charge, contact me so that we may start representation. My fees are reasonable.

Joe Holthaus

(410) 799-9002

(410) 619-5918 (pager)

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Answered on 8/10/03, 8:56 pm


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