America’s so-called “War on Drugs” has, over the past decade, expanded to a new battlefield:  Synthetic drugs.  What are synthetic drugs?  Simply put, they are popular alternatives to traditional street drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine) which have only recently been added to the federal Controlled Substances Act. Until recently, simple possession of or possession with the…

Seatbelt stings are becoming ever more frequent in the City of Annapolis. One area that has recently seen a great deal of the city’s seatbelt enforcement activity (we’ll call it the “Annapolis Seatbelt Sting”) is inbound Forest Drive just before Spa Road. Several drivers have reported a bright light that impairs the vision of oncoming drivers who…

Driving under the influence (DUI) is illegal in all jurisdictions of Maryland, yet whether the offense is categorized as a misdemeanor or felony depends on individual circumstances. First off, a misdemeanor offense is typically viewed as less serious than a felony charge; moreover, a felony will affect your voting rights whereas a misdemeanor will not…

Driving under the influence is defined as operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit. In most states the BAC limit is set between .05% and .08% and there’s no need for the presiding officer to show impairment or intoxication. DUI: By the Numbers A DUI is such a…

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”!  Creative marketing slogan, right? In this era of Twitter, Instagram and other Internet forums, we know that’s no longer true.  But, unlike Vegas, what happens on the Internet stays on the Internet.  If you’ve been charged with a crime, this fact should definitely cause you some concern.  Why? …

What if you are pulled over and subsequently arrested for suspicion of Driving Under the Influence (DUI)? You could be facing some very serious consequences such as felony conviction, stiff penalties and fines, loss of your driver’s license (which can affect employment) as well as possible jail time. If this happens to you, the first…

What happens if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being pulled over by a police officer that suspects you are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs? If the officer asks you to submit to a series of field sobriety tests, how should you respond? Without taking into account whether you’ve actually…

Distracted driving is a problem for anyone on the road. In Maryland alone, between 2007 and 2011, 152,000 people were injured in distracted driving accidents and about 1,100 were killed. Nearly two-thirds of drivers say they talked on a handheld cell phone while driving in the last month, and one in three do it on a…

The City of Annapolis recently installed digital parking meters offering the option of credit card or coin payments. This seems like a great idea, right?  Well, a lot of citizens are less than thrilled with the city’s newest hi-tech upgrade. Why? First, the ease-of-payment comes with a “convenience fee” in the form of skyrocketing rates,…