Author: Chi Song

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Took Effect on January 1, 2015

Laws of MDHappy New Year!  New Maryland laws took effect on January 1, 2015, which impact laws relating to trusts (House Bill 83, Chapter 585), residential leases (Senate Bill 345 / Chapter 488 and House Bill 249, Chapter 489) and real estate appraisers (Senate Bill 1106, Chapter 79). These new laws represent just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2014 Legislative Session.  To learn more about the laws resulting from the 2014 session, check out the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2014 Session, which is published by the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland.

If you have any questions or want to learn more, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

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lawlibrary

The Law Library is closed today.

The Law Library is closed today, January 1, 2015, and tomorrow, January 2, 2015, as both days are Court Holidays. The Law Library will be open on Monday, January 5, 2015. A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website at http://www.circuitcourt.org/court-holidays.

Except on Court Holidays, the Law Library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We are located on the third floor (main floor) of the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court at 8 Church Circle, Suite 303, Annapolis, Maryland.

If you cannot make it to the library in person, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.  The program will restart on Wednesday, January 7, 2015.

 

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lawlibrary Legal Technology

Online Databases in the Limelight – Bloomberg BNA

Online databases can be invaluable, time-saving  tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.  Each Tuesday of this month, this blog will highlight one of the many databases available at the Law Library.

The Law Library provides library patrons with free access to the Bloomberg BNA (Bureau of National Affairs) legal database.  While there is a great deal of overlap between the resources available on Bloomberg BNA and Westlaw and LexisNexis, which we highlighted earlier this month, Bloomberg BNA materials are only available on Bloomberg BNA.  These BNA materials include the following.

  • United States Law Week provides searchable access to Supreme Court opinions, Supreme Court Practice and Federal Appellate Practice.
  • Family Law Reporter provides a weekly roundup of family law developments and trends.
  • Criminal Law Reporter provides an overview of trends, development and issues in criminal law.
  • Lawyer’s Manual on Professional Conduct provides news and guidance regarding attorneys’ ethics and professional conduct.

Law Library patrons may access Bloomberg BNA’s database  in the library’s computer room free of charge.  If you have any questions regarding how to use the database, please come to the Law Library’s service desk.

For more information about understanding legal research, including the difference between primary and secondary legal resources, check out these research guides.

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lawlibrary Legal Technology

Legal Research in the Blogosphere – VerdictSearch

Legal research can be challenging, even for experienced attorneys; however, there are many resources available to assist both attorneys and non-attorneys with their legal research needs.  The Legal Research in the Blogosphere series will share blog posts and online sites that legal researchers may find useful.

Last week, we featured a post on VerdictSearch, an online database available at the Law Library for patrons to use, free of charge.  (You can read it here.)  If you are interested in a more detailed review of VerdictSearch, specifically its functionality and features, check out the review available on the Law Sites Blog at http://www.lawsitesblog.com/2012/11/verdictsearch-ramps-up-its-look-and-functionality.html.  If you have questions about how to use VerdictSearch, the Law Library is always available to help!

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge Part I Winners!

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Thank you for your commitment to pro bono service!

The Law Library participated in the 2014 National Pro Bono Celebration, which was celebrated from October 19, 2014 through October 25, 2014.  This blog featured posts focusing on pro bono and other free legal services throughout the month of October, including the Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge, which we blogged about here and here.  Part I of the Challenge asked attorneys to register with a pro bono legal service and agree to take a case.

The winners of Part I’s Challenge Drawing are Tasnima Apol, Gene Brennan, Carole Brown and Eileen Powers of Blumenthal, Delavan, Powers & Palmer who registered with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, YWCA Domestic Violence Legal Services, Mid-Shore Pro Bono and the Esperanza Center. Thank you for your commitment to pro bono service!

Stay tuned for Part II of the Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge!

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lawlibrary

The Law Library is closed today.

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The Law Library is closed today, December 25, 2014, and tomorrow, December 26, 2014, as both days are Court Holidays.  The Law Library will be open on Monday, December 29, 2014.  A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website at http://www.circuitcourt.org/court-holidays.

Except on Court Holidays, the Library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We are located on the third floor (main floor) of the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, Maryland.

If you cannot make it to the library in person, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today, Wednesday, December 24, 2014, and next Wednesday, December 31, 2014.  The program will restart on Wednesday, January 7, 2015.

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Online Databases in the Limelight – VerdictSearch

Blog PhotoOnline databases can be invaluable, time-saving  tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.  Each Tuesday of this month, this blog will highlight one of the many databases available at the Law Library.

Are you looking for case valuation assistance?  Then look no further because the Law Library subscribes to VerdictSearch, an online database that assists with verdict and settlement research.  VerdictSearch at the Law Library provides users with access to federal and state cases from Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.  Users can search by specific terms as well as by type of injury (e.g., arm, brain, cancer), award (e.g., decision in favor of defendant, settlement, mediated settlement) and case (e.g., appeals, business law, civil practice).  Users can further refine their searches by plaintiff type (e.g., age, gender) and date range.  These searches may assist you with your trial research and strategy development.  VerdictSearch’s document delivery includes printing and email (PDF and Word).

Law Library patrons may use VerdictSearch in the library’s computer room free of charge.  If you have any questions regarding how to use VerdictSearch, please come to the Law Library’s service desk.

For more information about understanding legal research, including the difference between primary and secondary legal resources, check out these research guides.

*Note that VerdictSearch does offer a national database as well as practice area-specific databases.  The Library subscribes only to the Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. databases as these jurisdictions are the most relevant for the Law Library’s patrons.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

Turtle 3The Ask A Lawyer In The Library program is a civil, non-family law, self-help program sponsored by The Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.  Every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., you can talk with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes.  No appointment is necessary, but sign-up is required at the law library’s information desk.  Sign-up begins at 10:45 a.m., and time slots are determined by a lottery. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.

On Wednesday, December 17, 2014,  the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program.  Thank you, Crighton Chase of Hillman Brown & Darrow, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Five people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues regarding leases, wills, estates and real estate.  The next program date is Wednesday, January 7, 2014.

Do you have a criminal law matter?  Criminal Law matters are best addressed by the Office of the Public Defender.  Information about the Office of the Public Defender is available at http://www.opd.state.md.us/.

Are you an attorney interested in volunteering with the Ask A Lawyer In The Library program?  If so, you must be admitted to the Maryland Bar and be in good standing on the Client Security Trust Fund list.  Interested attorneys should contact the law library.

More information about the program is available at http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.  The Ask A Lawyer In The Law Library program is a limited legal advice service.  The program is not a substitute for representation.  If you need an attorney to represent you, you can contact the Anne Arundel Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service.