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If you were arrested for OUI in Portland, you are looking at two things at once: a criminal case at the Cumberland County courthouse on Newbury Street, and a separate license suspension from the BMV. A Portland OUI attorney can go over both with you during a consultation.
National College for DUI Defense members on our team
DUI Defense Lawyers Association members on our team
A former Maine Assistant District Attorney on our team
Confidential. Reviewed by an attorney, not an intake service.
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An OUI arrest starts a criminal case in court and a license suspension case at the BMV. They run on different schedules, and the result of one does not determine the outcome of the other.
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Stops can happen anywhere in the city, from the Old Port at closing time to the I-295 ramps near Franklin Street and Forest Avenue. An OUI arrest in Portland, Maine can begin as an ordinary traffic stop.
The breath or blood test that matters is usually the one taken after the arrest, not the roadside screening. How the test was conducted can matter.
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Cumberland County OUI cases move through arraignment and a dispositional conference, where the prosecutor and the defense discuss the case before any trial date.
For a first OUI arrest. A first offense OUI lawyer in Brunswick, Maine can explain what the charge means for your license and your record.
When a breath or blood test was declined. Refusal carries its own license consequences.
The most serious OUI charges.
When the charge involves drugs rather than alcohol.
The charge is printed on your summons. You can note it in the form, and we will go over it with you.
Address
License hearings
Stopped outside the city? Arrests in South Portland, Westbrook, Scarborough, Falmouth, Gorham and Windham are also heard here. So if you need an OUI lawyer near South Portland, Maine, or a DUI lawyer in Westbrook, Maine, this is your courthouse, and our Portland office is close by.
We are on Commercial Street along the Portland waterfront, in the Old Port.
Fill in the form or call 207-571-8146 to set up a consultation with a Portland, Maine OUI attorney. We can go over your paperwork with you, including the dates on your summons and any BMV notice.
The officer’s reasons for the stop and the arrest become part of the record.
What test was offered, and how it was given, goes into the record.
The BMV handles the administrative suspension separately from the court. A hearing request is due within 10 days of the suspension’s effective date.
The first court date, where the charge is explained and a plea is usually entered.
The prosecutor and the defense meet to discuss the case.
If the case is not resolved, it can go to motions hearings and then if necessary a trial.
Founder and Managing Attorney William T. Bly is a seasoned trial lawyer with two decades of experience defending clients in Maine state and federal courts against charges ranging from OUI and drug trafficking to manslaughter and serious sexual assault, drawing on advanced training from Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College.
With nearly 25 years of experience as a former Maine Assistant District Attorney, seasoned trial attorney, and winning appellate advocate before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Attorney Feldman now brings rigorous preparation, an educator’s clarity, and nonjudgmental compassion to his criminal defense clients.
OUI cases from Portland are heard at the Cumberland County courthouse, 205 Newbury Street, in the Unified Criminal Docket. Cases from nearby towns such as South Portland, Westbrook and Scarborough go to the same courthouse. The license side of the case is handled separately by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Two things start at once. The court case begins with an arraignment at 205 Newbury Street, and the BMV starts a separate license suspension that has its own hearing deadline. A dui lawyer in Portland, Maine can go over both timelines with you during a consultation.
For a first offense, a work-restricted license may be possible. After a court suspension, a driver who has served two-thirds of it and completed DEEP can apply. A BMV-only suspension can allow an earlier application, and after a first-offense refusal a driver can apply after 6 months with DEEP complete.
Fees depend on the case, including whether there was a refusal or a crash, and how far the case goes. Because every case is different, our fees are not published. A DUI attorney in Portland, Maine can explain what the fee would cover, and fees are discussed at the consultation.
Sometimes. Outcomes depend on the facts and the evidence, and no lawyer can promise one. Driving to Endanger is a separate, lesser charge under Maine law, and in some cases an OUI can be resolved that way. A Portland DUI lawyer can explain the options after reviewing your case.
It depends on the suspension. The BMV handles its suspension separately from the court, and a hearing request is due within 10 days of the suspension’s effective date. People looking for a Portland, Maine OUI license suspension lawyer often ask about work-restricted licenses. A Cumberland County OUI attorney can explain the options that may apply.
Our Portland office is in the Old Port, close to the courthouse where your case will be heard. We focus on criminal defense and OUI defense. If you are looking for an OUI lawyer in Portland, Maine, you can talk through your case with a Portland OUI attorney at a consultation before you decide anything. Fill in the form or call 207-571-8146.
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