Lawyers In Maine

Lawyers In Maine DUI (OUI) Criminal Defense Attorney Wayne Foote specializes in defending persons charged with Maine DUI offenses.Attorney Foote has also successfully represented hundreds of people charged with other types of crimes – such as those involving alleged violation of federal gun and drug laws.

Drunk-driving Laws in Maine The legal term for DUI in Maine is Operating Under the Influence, or OUI. OUI is defined as operating any kind of motor vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. Alcohol, illegal drugs and even legal prescription drugs are all intoxicants that, if taken before or while operating a motor vehicle in Maine, can result in an OUI charge.If your physical and mental abilities are even slightly impaired in Maine, you areconsidered to be “under the influence.” If you are impaired to any degree, or if you havea blood-alcohol or breath alcohol content (BAC or BrAC) of .08% or higher, you will becharged with a DUI in Maine.There is a wide range of penalties for violating Maine’s DUI laws. Although it is very rarefor a first-time DUI offender to receive the maximum Maine drunk-driving penalty, thesentence imposed in the average case is serious.

District CourtsThere are one or more District Courts in each county. District Courts have limitedjurisdiction and cannot prosecute felony charges, with the exception of initial appearancesand bond hearings. Most DUI cases are misdemeanors and can be heard in District Court.However, cases heard in District Court are not eligible for jury trials. There is a verylimited time to request a jury trial and have the case moved to Superior Court.In some counties, the District and Superior Courts have been unified into one court.Attorney Foote defends DUI cases in Aroostook, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Penobscot,Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo and Washington Counties.Below is a complete list of Maine’s District Courts grouped by county. To determine whichcourt will hear your case, look on your ticket or bail papers for address of the court whereyou must appear.

Attorney Wayne Foote’s CertificationsAfter graduating from law school, Attorney Foote continued his education by amassingextensive training in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) – thecertification partner of the American Bar Association.In fact, Mr. Foote is the first and only attorney in Maine who is Board Certified in DUIDefense Law by the NCDD. Fewer than forty lawyers nationwide have achieved this level ofexpertise.

Federal Drug LawsFederal drug laws focus on regulating the importation, possession, manufacturing,distributing, marketing and sale of illegal drugs. Legal drugs that are regulated canbecome illegal when they are not acquired via the proper channels.Federal drug laws also prohibit psychoactive drugs that alter brain function or areseverely physically addictive. Examples of drugs that are unilaterally banned include (butnot limited to) cocaine, crack cocaine, PCP and methamphetamines.The penalties for violating federal drug laws vary depending on the drug and the intent ofthe person in possession. Penalties are much stiffer for persons arrested who areattempting to distribute the drugs than for persons found to be in possession of the drugsfor personal use.The type and amount of the drug also determines the length of penalties imposed atsentencing, with narcotics such as crack carrying much longer jail terms than marijuana.

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