Patrick Erney Maher

The first thing you should know is that a lawyer can't predetermine the outcome of a case. You shouldn't hire a lawyer to “get you off” or “find a loophole”. Rather, you hire a lawyer to ensure the laws and procedures are applied appropriately and fairly. Sometimes this means an unfavorable outcome ...for you, but it doesn’t mean the lawyer failed at doing their job. Knowing this, I recommend Patrick Maher as your lawyer. In my search, I used the MD Public Records to research case history. I looked for cases, with similar charges to mine, that involved various legal procedures such as motions, subpoenas or calling various witnesses. To me, this was a sign that the lawyer was actively involved in the case and using every resource available. Once I found a few lawyers who fit the description, I looked at their workload. Some lawyers were in courtrooms every day, all over the state. Others were in a few courtrooms, mainly around Baltimore. I decided on Pat because he practiced law primarily in the Baltimore area and appeared to have a manageable workload. My reasoning was that Pat could give my case the attention it needed, and also understood the prosecutor’s office and possible judges. I’m not saying he plays golf with them, but that he knows their character and has a professional working relationship. Pat begins the process by asking you to complete a questionnaire. This document gives Pat an understanding of who you are, what your situation is, and what you’re looking for in his services. Some of the questions may seem intrusive, but accurate answers will give you the best level of service. The document is usually filled out beforehand, and you email a copy. At the initial meeting, Pat will explain the level of service he offers, and answer any questions you have. From there, he’ll give his opinion on the best way to manage your situation and discuss your options. It is up to you to decide what you want to do. If you agree to his service, Pat will present a fee and give you options to provide payment. There are multiple options available, and his pricing is fair. From this point until the court date, Pat will research your case and provide updates as they come in. Some actions he may perform are; visiting the scene of the incident, filing motions for discovery, interviewing people involved and asking you for additional information. Pat communicated effectively by keeping me updated. Pat comes to court prepared. Most lawyers have a briefcase or a few folders with paperwork. Pat shows up with a projector, law books, and all the documentation related to your case. Seeing him with all this information is reassuring because it shows he has prepared for your case and is considering all options. Once at the courthouse, just follow Pat’s lead. He’ll tell you where to go, what to say, and what paperwork is necessary. He’ll advise you on options with the prosecutor’s office and keep you updated. In my case, we decided to file a motion, and the outcome would determine our next step. This meant our case would be heard later in the day. Basically, the court wants to get the cases that require less time, such as plea bargains, out of the way so they go first. The cases that require more time, such as trials, are moved to the end. Once your time in front of the judge arrives, Pat will carry out the plan of action you agreed to, and present his evidence. Pat presented the evidence and arguments in my case in an extremely professional and polite manner. There were times when he could have been aggressive, but he showed respect to the court, the officer and the prosecutor. In the end, Pat’s efforts resulted in a favorable outcome. He presented a case that relied on facts and his interpretation of the law. Thankfully, the judge agreed. I understand it is a professional relationship, but at the end of the process Pat feels like an old friend. I believe if you hire him, you’ll feel the same way.

I was facing up to 25 years in prison and had hired another, higher priced attorney. The attorney I had hired just wasn't giving me the confidence I needed during my most fearful time in my life. I researched attorneys not caring about price, just expertise; I didn't care what I had to pay. Well, ...I found Pat and it turned out that, not only did he seem more well versed, confident, and reassuring, but he was also $6,500 cheaper over the course of the felony representation. In the end, my case was negotiated down through his firm representation and I ended up receiving a very light, suspended jail sentence, no fines (just a small court fee), and UNSUPERVISED probation. I went from facing a felony record with a lot of possible time in prison to no felony record with no time served at all! He took a very bad situation and defended me into an outcome that I would have never thought possible. If you're facing any time whatsoever, I would recommend Pat without hesitation! I will never need criminal defense again because I've learned my lesson, but if I did, I would call him immediately.

I did everything that Pat advised me to do for my second DUI and I was very fortunate to only receive minimal consequences at my court hearing. This was amazing considering that I had very high BAC on the breathalyzer given by the state police after being involved in an accident. Pat treated me wit...h great respect and compassion, even when I felt like a terrible human being for drinking and driving. Pat was very responsive to calls, emails or texts whenever I had questions or needed to reach him. He was very thorough when explaining how the process worked and what I could expect. I would recommend Pat Maher to any of my friends or family.

I refused the breathalizer when I was pulled over then failed the field sobriety test, which had been recorded and was not in my favor. Pat provided me advise on how to proactively seek treatment to show the court that I was interested in fixing the problem. Pat came prepared the day of the case with... several approaches to defend me and only ended up needing the first. I was found not guilty on all charges. Additionally, I ended up in court two days before I was supposed to leave for Europe. Pat did a great job of explaining the potential outcomes of my case and the angles that he would take to defend me, which empowered me to help decide on what approach we would take given the level of risk I was willing to assume. One of the potential outcomes was weekend jail time, which would have cancelled my trip, costing me thousands of dollars, so it was very important for me to understand what could happen and how likely each outcome was. Besides being a great lawyer, I respect Pat for focusing on fixing the problem and not just getting out of the charges. He seemed to be genuinely interested in me seeking help and learning from my mistake. Because of Pat I was able to learn from my mistake without having to endure too much suffering, and my ability to continue having a successful career has not been obstructed.

I didn't know what to do when I got arrested for DUi. I searched Avvo for DUI attorneys and found Patrick Maher. He had great reviews, so I called him. He answered the phone himself and listened to my story and told me he could help me. I went in for a free consultation and we talked for well ove...r an hour. He didn't sugar coat anything or make any promises he couldn't keep, but told me he thought we had a good case to get me off. He explained everything I needed to do before the trail and gave me the resources to make it easy for me to do. He kept in contact with me before the trail date and kept me informed of what was happening. On the day of the trail, I was offered a plea. He told me it was my choice to take it , but suggested we go to trail. That's what we did. he was very prepared for the trail and asked the right questions of the officers who arrested and tested me. In the end eh had proven there was reasonable doubt that I failed the roadside tests and that the breath test was accurate. He also got a lot of the other charges against me dropped and saved me a lot of money in fines. I would highly recommend Mr Maher for anyone going thru the process of a DUI trail.