The Role of Witness Statements in a First-Degree Assault Case

Let’s start with the obvious: assault in the first degree is a serious, potentially life-ruining charge. Not only can it land you in hot legal water, but the charge alone can destroy your reputation. A conviction? Forget it. And it’s not hard to get charged, either. According to Maryland Code 3-202, you can be charged…

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Of COURSE Maryland Has Traffic Ticket Quotas

Police officers should give traffic tickets based on whether drivers actually violate the law, and not because the officers are ordered to have a quota of tickets. Writing traffic tickets should not be a way to fund police departments or local governments. Law enforcement should be independent from any government funding to ensure the integrity…

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Touched a Neck in a Fight? First Degree Assault Charges for You

Can you be charged with a first-degree felony in Maryland just for placing your arm around the neck of a spouse, date, relative, friend, or anyone? The answer is maybe. If the placement is considered “pressure” and you intended to place your arm where you did, and the placement impedes the normal breathing or blood…

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7 Things You Should Never Do In Court

We’re the generation that grew up watching legal dramas like LA Law, Ally McBeal, and The Practice. These shows depict the courtroom as a theater for crazy antics filled with surprise witnesses and last-minute acquittals by clever models/lawyers saving the day with their impassioned soliloquies. Sometimes they are legally blonde; other times they have just…

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Yup, Cops Can See Your Medical Records

We typically like to think we have some modicum of genuine privacy when it comes to something as intimate as medical records. I know, that’s a terrifying way to start anything. I wish I could reassure you and say none of this is truly scary, but
 Anyways. While doctor/patient confidentiality is indeed a thing, the…

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Automatic Crime Reporting Algorithms Can Hurt Innocent People — And Do

It’s no secret the internet at large has its dark sides. Crime is rampant and often unchecked, in all levels of severity, because people can be relatively unsupervised and anonymous.  What better to combat this technological problem than with more technology? One especially heinous crime with an unfortunate internet popularity is child pornography and abuse.…

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How Do Temporary Licenses (DR-15A) Even Work in Maryland?

Having a driver’s license is one of those things you take for granted. It’s not until after you lose it that you realize how much of your life relies on being able to drive where you want, when you want. Most of us have jobs, kids, and other life obligations that simply require having your…

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