Twelve jurors voted unanimously to hold the defendant in the Capital Gazette mass shooting criminally responsible for his actions. The jury consisted of eight men and four women. The family members who attended the trial, which took just under two weeks, thanked the jurors for their verdict. CBS News reported that that one of the widows of a victim said that the deaths of the five victims affected many more people than the five victims. [...]

The Supreme Court of the United States has a juicy slate of opinions coming out this June. Some of cases have received significant local and national coverage, covering topics like healthcare, voting rights, and religious liberties. Others, such as the rulings released today, may receive far less coverage – but that doesn’t make them any less important. Case in point: Van Buren v. United States was released on June 3, 2021. In a 6-3 ruling, [...]

If you are a fan of the reality television show Big Brother, then you probably heard about Mike “Boogie” Malin’s plea to a felony stalking charge related to his fellow star Dr. Will Kirby, and the penalties associated with it. Those penalties are significant: $370 in fees and restitution (with additional restitution to be determined later) 3 days in jail 30 days in a residential treatment facility 2 years of probation with mandatory supervision by [...]

Pick up any paper, check any website, or listen to any local or national news station, and you are bound to hear about the rising crime rates, or the “surge” in violent crime, or the “spike” in criminal activity. There is outrage and handwringing and lots of blame to go around. The discussion keeps circling the same points: crime rates are rising, and what “we” are doing is not working. This is the wrong conversation. [...]

The prosecutor is supposed to be the people’s lawyer. A prosecutor is supposed to fight for the safety of the people in the community he/she represents. Many people have an opinion of prosecutors based solely on what they see on TV and in films about the criminal justice system. It is natural to think their sole job is to argue a case before a judge and jury – and oppose everything a criminal defense lawyer [...]

Jury trials and bench trials are both options in a criminal defense case, and they offer different benefits and risks. Defendants who are charged with a criminal offense have the Constitutional right to a trial. For many criminal cases, a jury trial could be a defendant’s best option. A jury trial is not mandatory, though. A defendant can waive his/her jury trial and agree to have the judge assigned to the case try the case. [...]

Not every conviction results in a prison sentence. Maryland recognizes that communities and defendants are both better served by focusing on treatment instead of imprisonment. Some of the factors that may indicate an alternative is viable include the type of offense that was committed, whether you have a prior record, and whether Maryland has established programs to help rehabilitate someone who was convicted of a crime. Whether there is a sentencing alternative for you ultimately [...]

In Maryland, a person who is convicted of a sex crime must register with a sex registry when he/she leaves prisons and starts private life. A sex registry is a database of information about people who have been convicted of various sex crimes. The information is public and available to law enforcement and anyone who accesses the database. Registrants must provide information about where they live such as their name, address, and place of employment. [...]