Columbia, MD Criminal Defense Lawyer

Skilled Criminal Defense Attorney Handling Charges in Columbia, Maryland

If you are convicted of a crime in Maryland, you could face a wide range of penalties, including incarceration, fines, and a lasting criminal record. After you have been formally charged with a misdemeanor or felony, the best thing you can do in the short term is to get in contact with a skilled defense lawyer.

At The Law Office of Caroline Norman Frost, our Columbia, MD criminal defense attorney has the skills and legal knowledge to effectively represent clients accused of a wide variety of offenses, ranging from drug crimes to violent offenses. As an award-winning attorney with over 10 years of legal experience, Caroline Norman Frost can provide you with an aggressive defense tailored to your unique situation.

Handling Drug Possession and Distribution Charges in Maryland

Many drug cases involve shared spaces, borrowed vehicles, multiple occupants, or property that changed hands before an arrest. In Maryland, possession of a controlled dangerous substance can carry up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000. When prosecutors claim distribution or possession with intent to distribute, the penalties increase sharply. For certain Schedule I or II narcotic drugs, the maximum penalty can reach 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Fighting a drug possession or distribution charge often involves reviewing police procedure. Was there a lawful basis to stop or detain you in the first place? Did officers have legal authority to search your home or vehicle? These questions can be pivotal to your legal strategy in a drug possession or distribution case.

DUI Defense for Clients in Columbia, MD

A DUI arrest can be frightening because the penalties can include jail time, fines, and lasting consequences for your license and employment. Maryland prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol and "under the influence of alcohol per se," which means driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher. For a first offense, a conviction can carry up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $1,200, or both. If you are judged to be impaired behind the wheel, but not fully under the influence, you could face DWI charges, which carry lesser penalties.

Our attorney can closely examine the reason for the stop, the administration of field sobriety tests, and whether the officer's conclusions match the objective evidence. In some cases, medical conditions, fatigue, or anxiety can mimic intoxication, and the defense can bring those facts into focus rather than allowing assumptions to control the narrative.

Defending Against Assault and Robbery Allegations

Assault cases can be complicated to deal with since they often involve conflicting reports. One person claims fear, another claims self-protection, and the state must decide which story to follow.

In Maryland, second-degree assault is generally charged as a misdemeanor, but the maximum penalty is up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. First-degree assault is a felony, and the maximum penalty is up to 25 years in prison. The difference between the two degrees of assault usually comes down to whether or not the alleged victim was in serious danger of harm.

In assault cases, self-defense can be central when the evidence shows reasonable force in response to an imminent threat. Other defenses may focus on misidentification, inconsistent statements, and the lack of reliable corroboration, especially when an accusation is made in a stressful or chaotic setting.

Robbery allegations raise a different set of issues because the state must prove a theft accomplished by force or threat of force. Robbery is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Robbery with a dangerous weapon carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years.

Contact a Columbia, MD Criminal Defense Lawyer

At The Law Office of Caroline Norman Frost, we take a careful approach in criminal cases, focusing on the facts, the available evidence, and any weaknesses in the prosecution's argument. Call 443-278-1562 or contact our Columbia, MD criminal defense lawyer to schedule a free consultation today.