Criminal
Legislators Should Leave the Child Interrogation Protection Act in Place
The Maryland Child Interrogation Protection Act went into effect on October 1, 2022. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Act protects children/juveniles in several ways: There is a requirement that the child be able to consult with a lawyer when he/she is taken into custody unless there is a public safety emergency.…
Read MoreCan You Be Charged With a Crime That Doesn’t Exist?
The world of virtual reality may be moving too fast. Most people understand that when they play a virtual game, that the characters aren’t really hurt or killed. You can just end the game and start playing a new one. It’s like the old Road Runner cartoons where Wile E. Coyote always ends up being…
Read MoreCan I Challenge My Breathalyzer Results?
The results of a breathalyzer test can affect what criminal charges are filed against you and can affect your driving privileges. In most drunk driving cases, the breathalyzer test is the key evidence against a driver. If the results of the breathalyzer test can be excluded, many defendants can walk away from the charges and…
Read MoreClearing Your Record After a Conviction in Maryland
In Maryland, some criminal records can be expunged and some cannot. Expungement essentially means that your criminal record is deleted or erased from court records and law enforcement records. Defendants often seek to have their records expunged so any convictions, arrests, or other resolution of the criminal charges in their case cannot be used against…
Read MoreWhat Is the Statute of Limitations on Criminal Charges in Maryland?
The term “statute of limitations” indicates the limited period during which an injured person can file a lawsuit against someone who harmed them. The statute of limitations for criminal charges in Maryland varies according to the specific crime. Some crimes in Maryland have no statute of limitations, which means that charges can be filed at…
Read MoreWhat Are the Laws for Filming Police in Maryland?
In 1991, George Holliday recorded four white Los Angeles Police Department officers beating Black motorist Rodney King and submitted the video to the local news. Although filming police on the job was rare in the early 1990s, it has become common now, due to advances in technology and the widespread use of smartphones. Filming the…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know About PIT Maneuvers
A PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique, Pursuit Intervention Technique, or Precision Intervention Tactic) is a law enforcement practice used to stop fleeing vehicles while exposing the driver, police and the public to minimal risk. While PIT maneuvers are considered standard procedures by most U.S. police departments, they have been banned in the UK and other…
Read MoreOnline “Pranks” Can Lead to an Arrest
While they may be fun or seem harmless to the poster, some online pranks can harm other people. They can also use up valuable police resources until the police determine what is true and what is false. A few recent examples illustrate that youngsters, teenagers, and adults of all ages need to understand that social…
Read MoreYou Can Be Arrested at Any Time for Felony Assault in Maryland
Did you know you can be arrested for a felony assault at any time here in Maryland, no matter when it occurred? The reason for this is because Maryland has no statute of limitations on felony grade assault crimes. But what is a statute of limitations? In the realm of criminal law, statutes of limitations…
Read MoreMaryland Should Record All Interrogations
Not only Maryland, but all states should mandate recording of all interrogations. It is shocking, with the accessibility and ease of recording technology today, that such a serious legal matter as a criminal interrogation cannot be recorded for reference purposes; but this is the reality in the United States today. According to an October 2022…
Read MoreUS Supreme Court Provides First Amendment Protections for Threat and Stalking Crimes
The US Supreme Court ruled on June 27, 2023, in a 7-2 decision, that statements that qualify as “true threats” are not protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution – unless the government can show that the defendant who made the statements had some understanding of the threatening nature of the threats. This…
Read MoreUnderstanding Your Miranda Rights: What You Should Know
If you find yourself in a criminal situation, it is crucial to understand – and assert – your rights to protect yourself. One of the most fundamental rights you have in the United States is Miranda Rights, and it is vital you know what these are. These rights, established by the landmark Supreme Court case…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Elements of a Strong Defense Strategy
When facing criminal charges, a strong defense strategy is essential for protecting your rights, ensuring a fair trial, and achieving the best possible outcome. A well-crafted defense strategy takes into account the specific circumstances of your case, examines the evidence, and aims to challenge the prosecution’s case. Today we want to discuss the elements of…
Read MoreA Recent Maryland Appellate Court Decision May Affect Your Security Clearance
The Maryland Appellate Court, Maryland’s second-highest court, ruled recently that a man who had a federal misdemeanor conviction on his criminal record since 1999 was properly denied a handgun qualification license based on Maryland law. The case is likely to affect more than the right of Maryland residents to own a gun. If you need…
Read MoreHow Your Mental Health Can Affect a Criminal Charge
Many states still struggle with identifying and treating mental illness of those who commit crimes rather than resorting to incarceration—and Maryland is unfortunately one of them. In this day and age, most people have become aware of how the mental health status of a defendant can significantly impact the outcome of their criminal charges. Despite…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know About Federal Drug Charges
Most drug possession crimes in Maryland are prosecuted at the state level. However, they can sometimes be bumped to federal charges in certain scenarios. Something like getting caught with drugs while on federal property can result in serious legal consequences, including hefty fines and long prison sentences. When it comes to battling a drug charge…
Read MoreMarijuana Can Cost You Your Security Clearance
Working in certain roles for the federal government requires you to apply for security clearance, as many positions may involve access to classified information. The process of vetting employees who apply for clearance is designed to ensure that those who work in these positions are trustworthy and reliable. Even after you receive security clearance, you…
Read MoreRap Artist Afroman Sued by Police Who Raided His Home
After police wrongly raided his home last summer, rap artist Afroman decided to make light of his losses and release an album and videos using home footage of the situation. Now, he’s facing charges from seven of the officers involved in the raid, citing invasion of privacy and public humiliation. What kind of recourse do…
Read MoreWhen Is Video Admissible in a Criminal Case?
It has become very common for people to record important things happening in their lives. In fact, you cannot go anywhere without seeing someone pulling out their camera or cell phone to record something. Therefore, when a crime is occurring either to you or to another person, one of your first impulses may be to…
Read MoreThat Amendment Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means
Spend any time on social media and you’re bound to run into them: the so-called Constitutional scholars who earned their stripes listening to news shows or following attorneys on Twitter. We used to think that these folks were harmless, and perhaps they are – but we’re seeing some disturbing trends when it comes to understanding…
Read MoreYes, You Should Wear a Suit to Court (and Other Helpful Tips)
It can be very intimidating going to your first court hearing and you may be worried about what to do and what to say. When you appear in court in Maryland, it is important to present yourself in a way that gives the judge or jury a good impression—and it does play a factor in…
Read MoreCan You Claim Self-Defense in a Bar Fight?
We see it in TV shows and movies all the time: if someone starts a fight with someone else, that person hits the first one and then says it was all in self-defense. When the police arrive, the person who started the fight is the one that gets in trouble. Despite many people trying to…
Read MoreWhat Is a “Special Counsel,” Anyway?
You may have been seeing in the news that there was recently a special counsel appointed to a case regarding President Joe Biden. We thought this was a good opportunity to talk about what a special counsel is, what they do, and why they are important to a case. A special counsel is an attorney…
Read MoreCriminal Charges Arising from Fatal DUI and DWIs
Most drunk drivers are pulled off the road by a police officer before the drivers cause any accidents. There are many times, though, when the police arrest someone for drunk driving after the driver caused an accident. The police are usually likely to arrest an intoxicated driver who causes a fatality – another driver, a…
Read MoreCan Your Text Messages Be Used Against You in Court?
The saying, “Anything you say can be used against in a court of law,” given when anyone is arrested (as part of the Miranda warnings) is also good advice for any texts you send. Any texts that you write, even if you try to delete them, before or after an arrest may also be used…
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