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. [...]

Criminal trials are serious business, and a defendant’s rights are enshrined in law. You have a right to due process. The prosecution is required to play fairly. Playing fairly means if the prosecution has evidence that you didn’t commit the offense charged or evidence that would reasonably be expected to help your defense, the prosecution must disclose that evidence to your criminal defense lawyer. The Brady rule The Brady rule refers to a Supreme Court [...]

Nationwide, teenagers have not been physically present in a physical classroom because of the fear of contracting the disease. Instead, most schools in 2020 and 2021 held classes online. This lack of in-person schooling makes it much easier (and more tempting) for teens to skip school when classes are online. According to recent reports, some of these teens are using their free time to steal people’s cars through force or threats of force – i.e., [...]

Defendants in criminal cases have the right to due process. This means prosecutors are supposed to play fairly. They must abide by the rules. The job of a prosecutor is to represent the public. The job is not to obtain a conviction against the defendant at all costs. When prosecutors engage in misconduct, the charges against a defendant may be dismissed. According to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun, the attorney for Baltimore City [...]

Suppression of evidence is a fancy way of saying the evidence cannot be used in court. In order to suppress evidence, the criminal defense lawyer must file a formal motion to exclude the evidence. The motion can be filed in federal or state court depending on where the case is being tried. The motion normally identifies the evidence that should be suppressed and the reasons it should be suppressed. The motion to suppress is heard [...]

For the last year, many companies and businesses have been charging fees to cover COVID-19-related health and cleaning services. Those fees can range from $5 for disinfectant in a hair salon to up to $1200 for cleaning and food in senior-living centers. Many consumers do not become aware of the fees until they receive their bill. They are not being informed ahead of time of these charges. According to the Washington Post, some of these [...]

The number of deaths due to drug and alcohol overdoses increased in Maryland during the pandemic. Minority communities are being affected the most. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that between May 2019 and May 2020 deaths from all types of drugs have increased by nearly 17%. ABC News reports that opioid overdoses are 20% higher in 2020 than they were before the pandemic. ABC News stated that “social distancing [...]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the criminal justice system in Maryland is taking steps to depopulate jails and prisons to help reduce the risk of exposure to the disease. In Baltimore, the City's attorney's office and the police have stopped prosecuting some low-level offenses. They have dismissed a number of cases and eliminated a number of open warrants. They have also provided for the early release of hundreds of prisoners and updated their bail [...]