Criminal Defense

Aggressive Representation in All Types of Felony and Misdemeanor Criminal Matters

When you are on the ropes facing criminal charges or a criminal investigation, you are looking for a successful resolution to your case. You need the heavyweight experience of attorney Michelle Barnes to know which approach would be best to take and to have someone in your corner who knows when kid gloves are best for your case and when aggressive punches must be thrown.

Michelle has been a successful criminal attorney in Maryland for 30 years. She is one of the most esteemed criminal defense attorneys with success in cases involving the most serious felonies. The experience she brings comes from both sides of the table. As a former twice elected State’s Attorney, and division chief in the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, Michelle knows not just some of the prosecution side, but all of it – and at the highest level. Having been a top law enforcement official, Michelle will bring enormous knowledge to your case. Her experience includes over 500 jury trials, with an extensive success record from misdemeanor to every type of felony including drug kingpin, rape, kidnapping, and murder. Her reputation for dedication, hard work, and success is known throughout the Eastern Shore and the State.

What to Know About Drunk Driving Cases

Don’t be fooled into thinking you can only be convicted of drunk driving if you are drunk or intoxicated. If your ability to operate a vehicle has been impaired to any extent or your blood alcohol content (BAC) level exceeds the .07% state limit, you can be convicted. If you are under 21, those BAC levels are even lower.

The consequences of driving under the influence (DUI) and driving while intoxicated (DWI) are influenced by your age, BAC and previous DWIs and DUIs, as well as any injury or death caused during your impaired driving.

DWI and DUI charges have consequences to your ability to drive. Charges can trigger an ignition interlock device requirement and a driver’s license suspension in the state of Maryland, and multiple convictions can result in revocation of your license, which requires you to go through an MVA hearing before getting your license back.

Other Criminal Matters

Michelle confidently handles a wide range of other state criminal cases, such as:

  • Violent crimes, including murder (homicide), manslaughter, assault and battery
  • Sex offenses, including child pornography
  • Property crimes, including theft, shoplifting, robbery, and breaking and entering
  • White collar crime, including fraud, the writing of bad checks and identity theft
  • Computer offenses
  • Weapons offenses, including gun or firearm possession by a felon
  • Traffic violations, including speeding tickets and texting-while-driving citations
  • Natural resources cases
  • Environmental cases
  • Transportation without a permit

Successful criminal defense requires full preparation and understanding of all the evidence, background information that is important to your case and knowledge regarding how the prosecution approaches cases. Michelle has the respect and reputation that prosecutors will consider. She knows how important full preparation is to a case and limits the number of cases she takes to ensure that those in her office can fully and extensively prepare each case they handle. Michelle has experience with every criminal type of case there is and has been highly successful in her representation.

Contact Us Today

If you are under investigation by a state agency such as the police, social services, juvenile services or another government entity, it is vital to have the representation of an experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense attorney immediately. The sooner you contact Michelle, the better she can serve your interests and help find the best resolution for your situation. Call 410-463-6296 or send the firm an email today.