Blog
- Police had probable cause for man’s arrest that started with not wearing a seat belt
Dec 9, 2019
A “traffic initiative” that involved police observing cars stopped at a red light for certain legal violations was not a traffic checkpoint so that there was no intrusion on a Baltimore man’s constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals recently ruled. While conducting an effort to find vehicle violations involving lack of seatbelt use and cellphone use while driving, seven officers from the Baltimore City Police Department were stationed...Read More - Maryland Court Rules that Teen Involved in Sexting is a Child Pornographer
Sep 12, 2019
Maryland’s top court has held that a teen who sent a video of herself performing a sex act on another teen to two of her friends distributed child pornography and displayed obscene content to other minors. The teen, called S.K. by the court, attended a Charles County high school. The 16-year-old female had a group chat on her cellphone for text messages with two friends. S.K. sent a one-minute video of herself performing a...Read More - Marijuana Smell and Amount Under 10 Grams Was not Probable Cause for Search Incident to Arrest
Sep 10, 2019
The smell of marijuana combined with possession of an amount clearly less than 10 grams does not grant Maryland police officers probable cause for a search incident to the arrest, the Court of Appeals has ruled. The legal action deals with the arrest and search of a man and his vehicle after two officers smelled marijuana. When the officers searched the man, they discovered cocaine. The case is another in a series of decisions...Read More - Appeals Court Throws Out Woman’s Drug Conviction Because of Strip Search Conducted on the Side of a Busy Highway
Aug 16, 2019
The Fourth Amendment grants the right to be free from unreasonable searches. Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals recently made an important ruling in a case dealing with whether the physical search of a woman in daylight hours on the side of a busy highway was proper. The non-exigent – meaning a search that isn’t urgent — visual inspection of the genital area of a person suspected of concealing controlled dangerous substances, in daylight, while...Read More - Accused Child Sex Abuser’s Reputation for Good Dealings with Students Not Relevant, court says
Aug 9, 2019
In a Maryland child sex abuse case, the accused’s reputation for appropriate interactions with children under their care is not a pertinent character trait, Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals has recently ruled. A man who was a long-time teacher at Cloverly Elementary, a public school in Montgomery County, Maryland, was convicted in 2016 of one count of child abuse, three counts of sex abuse of a minor and five counts of sex offense in...Read More - The Statue of Limitations for Claims on your Auto Insurance Policy when You’re in an Accident with an Uninsured Motorist
Jul 9, 2019
In a Baltimore car accident involving an underinsured driver, the acceptance and signed release of the at-fault underinsured motorist’s policy limits started the clock ticking for making a claim against the underinsured motorist coverage for the driver who wasn’t at fault, according to a recent ruling from a Baltimore appeals court. Margaret Shilling was involved in an auto accident in Gambrills, Maryland. Her underinsured motorist provider, Nationwide, gave permission to settle the claim with...Read More - Maryland Attorney General Warns About Impostor Law Enforcement Scam
Jun 11, 2019
Thieves posing as Maryland law enforcement officers are swindling Maryland residents by threatening them with arrest for missing jury duty or failing to appear as witnesses, Maryland’s Attorney General has recently warned. Consumers in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County and Howard County have reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be from the local police department or sheriff’s office to inform them that they have missed a court date. In some instances,...Read More - Baltimore Motorcycle Accidents 2019
May 21, 2019
Summer is on the way and so is the time for long rides on a motorcycle. There is some good news on the Baltimore motorcycle accident front — the number of motorcyclists killed in crashes dropped to 5,172 in 2017, down from 5,337 in 2016 — a 3% decrease, but motorcycle riders are still overrepresented in traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to...Read More - Baltimore Boating Safety Tips for 2019
May 17, 2019
Boating season is just around the corner. Most Baltimore-area boaters try to get their boats ready and in the water for the Memorial Day holiday. The start of last year’s boating season was especially tough for the Baltimore and Annapolis boating communities. Declared by officials to be the deadliest start in six years, the 2018 boating season saw four people dead in boating accidents in 16 days. By contrast, in 2017, nine people died...Read More - How to Stay Out of Trouble in Ocean City
Apr 23, 2019
Ocean City comes alive in the summer months as one of the premier vacation spots for families, college kids, couples, partygoers, and more. Thousands of students and adults find themselves letting loose with copious amounts of alcohol, lowering inhibitions and creating opportunities for chaos. Once tourist season opens and the first Spring Break revelers make their way through the town, law enforcement go on high alert and significantly increase the number of arrests. Don’t let...Read More