Posts by Drew Cochran
Maryland Has Some Weird Laws, You Guys
Nobody, including me, likes to follow “dumb” rules. Unfortunately, Maryland’s legal code is chock-full of some pretty bizarre laws and regulations. In my spare time, I read Maryland’s legal codes — mostly so I can clean up in pub trivia, but also because it might some day help me at my job. And I have…
Read MoreSelling “Baked” Goods at a School Baseball Game = Illegal
Into every like, they say, a little rain must fall. Unless you’re in Florida, where the rains come every day (both literally and figuratively). Today’s gem is care of the New York Post: “Robert Johnson, 38, is charged with making [pot brownies] and giving them to his teenage daughter to peddle at a [baseball] game.”…
Read MoreVOP – VIOLATION OF PROBATION
If you’ve been to court, and the judge gave you probation before judgement, or gave you a suspended sentence, then you’ll be placed into probation. Probation is a special set of rules that apply just to you that are set by the judge. Generally it’s a year, 18 months, or in Circuit Court it could…
Read MoreOnline Dating, Under Age Girls, and Criminal Charges
There was a story in the Columbia Daily Tribune recently about a 22-year-old guy from Maryland who was allegedly dating a 12-year-old girl from Missouri, and now he’s facing federal charges for “enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.” He and his brother tried to bring the girl back with them to Maryland,…
Read MoreWe Always Knew Twitter Would Be the End of Us All
We love Twitter. We love the memes and celebrity clapbacks and the insane “Twitter wars” between politicians and everyday people. It’s like watching a soap opera distilled into 140 characters. But just when we thought it couldn’t get any more nuts on that platform, a Maryland native had a “hold my beer” moment that led…
Read MoreSuperhero “Good Deeds” That Would Land a Normal Person in Jail
The saying goes that life imitates art far more often than art imitates life, and nowhere is that more apparent than in our favorite films. All those superhero flicks and larger-than-life characters require a little suspension of disbelief, but the ground rules of society stay more or less the same no matter how super our…
Read MoreKeep Your Pants On: Since When Is Leaving The Curtains Open “Indecent Exposure”?
Last June, Ocean City police arrested Edward “Ellis” Rollins III, the chief prosecutor of Cecil County. He was taken in on several charges, including having a terrible nickname, being a “the third,” and indecent exposure. The arrest came after witnesses took several photos and called the police. By the time they arrived on the scene,…
Read MoreIgnition Interlock Devices Stink, and Here’s Why
If you’ve never seen one, ignition interlock devices aren’t pretty. The “interlock” part means that the device can prevent ignition or shut down the engine if alcohol is detected when the device is used; that means it has to be hardwired into your car. The handheld Breathalyzer is bulky, and dragging that cord around knocks…
Read MoreNever Trust Those Thieving Dolphins
Last August, visitors to SeaWorld Orlando got a little more bang for their buck during a session where parkgoers are allowed to interact with dolphins after a show. Video footage shows one of the dolphins lunging towards a woman who was holding an iPad. The marine mammal managed to pull the device into the tank,…
Read MoreCan I Get My Gun Rights Back After a Criminal Conviction?
So, the answer to that question is yes, but you guessed right – it’s complicated. Let’s try to clear up this issue so that it is a bit easier to understand. Maryland law forbids anyone who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm. But, you might be able to get your right…
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