Karen Huger Denied Work Release, Ordered To Serve Full DUI Sentence

La Grande Dame of Potomac, Karen Huger, is working on an early comeback following her recent DUI arrest that landed her a year in prison. The Real Housewives of Potomac star, known for her sharp wit and unwavering confidence, filed an application that could allow her to leave jail for work-related activities.

As previously reported, Huger was involved in a single-car crash on March 17, 2024. As a result, she was charged with a DUI and negligent driving. She also denied any wrongdoing throughout season nine of RHOP. However, police body cam footage was eventually released to the public, and Huger could be seen intoxicated, slurring her words, and confused after first responders arrived at the scene. Still, the reality TV star rejected a plea deal, deciding to have her day in court. She was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months behind bars.

According to the Washington Post, while serving her sentence, Huger has been collecting good behavior credits during her first two months in jail. So much so, she may be released as early as November 2025. Additionally, the outlet reports that Huger has volunteered for the work-release program. If granted, she would have been transferred to a facility geared towards rehabilitation. Corrections officials approved her request for work-release, but Judge Terrence McGann then denied it.

She drew the wrong judge,” Montgomery County defense attorney David Moyse said. “It was just horrible luck.”

The work-release program allows inmates to leave correctional facilities during specific hours to maintain employment, attend educational programs, or participate in other approved activities. Participants usually return to custody during non-working hours. Had Huger’s application been approved, it would have meant a carefully managed schedule balancing her professional commitments with the time she had served. However, she would not have been able to return to the RHOP cast as she is not allowed to obtain a job where she is video or audio recorded, according to the Washington Post.

Huger’s attorney, David Martella, reports being disappointed by Judge McGann’s decision because the mother of two would have been able to return to the rehab facility she was attending before sentencing.

“It’s a great program,” Martella told the outlet. “We were disappointed she wasn’t approved.”

Though it is unclear why McGann denied the work-release request, he could have been influenced by Huger’s lengthy rap sheet. Before this arrest, the RHOP star had been arrested for three other DUI incidents. This time, McGann wanted to teach Huger a lesson, hence his imposition of a 12-month sentence. It is not surprising that he would deny the request. He has also ordered that Huger serve at least three years of supervised probation after she is released.