Earlier this week, Maryland’s highest court issued a new opinion that made national headlines. The decision imposes necessary new standards on how prosecutors in this state can (and cannot) use ballistics experts. This ruling potentially represents a major aid for people in Maryland who stand accused of crimes involving guns.…
One of the greatest risks undocumented immigrants face is potential deportation or being barred from re-entry. For some of those people, help may be available in the form of an I-601a waiver, a/k/a a provisional waiver. To be eligible, you must be a relative of a U.S. citizen or a…
LGBTQ+ people face many serious challenges. LGBTQ+ people in countries outside the U.S. often face especially dire risks, as being “outed” (or even just failing to conform to traditional gender norms) may place a person at risk of beatings, whippings, or even violent death. For those folks — both those…
Often, this blog focuses on some sort of success for an accused person, like getting crucial evidence suppressed because the search that yielded it was unconstitutional. Sometimes, though, matters that end with unsuccessful – and even unjust – outcomes deliver the most important lessons, like one recent assault case from…
When you’re seeking to engage with the immigration process, one thing you likely desire is to obtain a resolution as quickly as possible. Part of doing that means utilizing processes that can deliver results and avoiding traveling avenues that are inherently dead-ends. An experienced Maryland hardship waiver lawyer can help…
When the police destroy evidence that was relevant to your case, that’s potentially a huge problem, as you’ll never know if that proof could have strengthened your case. When that happens — whether the destruction was accidental or intentional — there are steps you can take. When it comes to…
Obtaining citizenship is an important goal for many immigrants. If you’re seeking to do that, be advised that there are many hoops you must jump through and hurdles you must clear. It can be challenging to understand all of the requirements the law imposes upon you. Retaining a knowledgeable Maryland…
Television has popularized and glamorized the work of police crime lab workers. However, just like the actors on your favorite crime scene investigation shows, workers in real-life police crime labs come and go. This means that, sometimes, the person who creates a DNA analysis report may not be the one…
Anyone who has to go before a judge — whether you’re a criminal defendant, a party in a civil trial, or an immigrant appearing before a federal immigration judge — likely goes in with some degree of anxiety, but also with certain expectations, like the judge’s fairness. If you’re an…
The phrase “mission creep,” which pertains to “the gradual broadening of the original objectives” beyond a task’s original scope, goals, or focus, originated in military circles but has been adopted by much of the business world. A type of mission creep can occur in a police traffic stop, as well.…