At Law Offices of Mark Kotlarsky, Esq., Maryland and District of Columbia criminal attorney, we zealously represent individuals accused of criminal conduct. We successfully represented clients charged with DUI/DWI, assaults, fraud, theft, driving without a license or with a suspended license, minor sexual offenses, burglaries, shoplifting, embezzlements, possession of narcotics, possession of dangerous weapons and others. We also represent drivers in MVA and DMV hearings. We choose not to represent defendants accused of rape, aggravated assault, robbery or murder or distribution of controlled dangerous substances.

We concentrate on pre-trial preparation and believe that the best outcome for our client mostly likely be achieved by skilled plea bargain and pre-sentencing negotiations, in part, because the costs of defending a case at trial and on appeal may be far greater punishment than the consequences of a conviction. If, however, the charges are unjust, excessive or technically deficient, we are able, ready and willing to defend our clients with skill, vigor and passion.

Unfortunately, meaningful plea bargains are rarely available in DUI/DWI cases and other driving infractions. Instead, we concentrate on finding police errors and pre-sentencing preparations. We realize that the most severe punishment for a driving offense often is the loss of a driving license. In such cases, preserving the client’s driving privilege at a MVA or DMV hearing becomes our highest priority.

Our success rate is extraordinary; none or our clients have ever been sentenced to spend any time in prison and almost all of our clients retained their privilege to drive. 

Attorney Mark Kotlarsky immigrated to the United States in 1977, and since becoming a trial lawyer has devoted much of his criminal law practice to defending non-American citizens, who are at risk of being deported for relatively minor offenses.

If you are not a United States citizen and you are charged with any jailable offense, do not accept any deal without first contacting an attorney knowledgeable in INS deportation law. Even if you already have a lawyer, a second opinion is much cheaper than fighting deportation proceedings. The laws regarding deportation are confusing, obscure, and inconsistently enforced. Few criminal lawyers understand them well. The consequences of bad legal advice could be truly tragic for you.

We apply our knowledge of INS deportation law to determine the best strategy for each case. Most often, our primary objective is to persuade prosecutors to allow our clients to plead guilty to non-deportable offenses. Because the prosecutors are generally unfamiliar with the deportation laws, we often need to explain to the prosecutors why their offers are not acceptable. For example:

In recent case, our client was charged with a serious deportable offense. The prosecutor offered the client the opportunity to plead guilty to a relatively minor offense and receive a no-imprisonment sentence. Although the prosecutor thought that his offer was very generous, we could not accept the offer because the client would plead guilty to a deportable offense. Mark explained to the prosecutor why his client could not accept the offer and persuaded the prosecutor to allow the client to plead guilty to a different, non-deportable offense.