The Law Library is closed today, Monday, October 10, 2016, for the Columbus Day holiday. The Law Library will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, October 11, 2016. 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 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, October 5, 2016 the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. The duo Mike Ragland and Jack Paltell were, as they have been for years, the “lawyers in the library.” Jack and Mike have volunteered on the first Wednesday of every month since 2009. Their dedication is truly appreciated by all they have helped.Six people took part in the program and were able to to request assistance with issues such as trusts, guardianship, tax liens and credit card debt. The next program date is Wednesday,October 12 , 2016.
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.
The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) sponsored an Expungement Clinic at the Glen Burnie Regional Library on September 27, 2016 in the evening from 5:00 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. There were 4 volunteer attorneys who were able to help 16 people complete expungement petitions for filing. Matthew Stubenberg of MVLS coordinated the program. Matthew is known for developing MDexpungement.com, an APP that can determine if a case is eligible for expungement and then populate the form with the information needed for filing.
More information on expungement can be found on the library’s FAQs wiki page under “expungement.” The page provides access to the Judiciary’s Access to Justice Department’s self-help video on expungement with tip sheet, articles on the Maryland People’s Law Library of Maryland, and the brochure published by the District Court of Maryland “Information About Removing Criminal Records from Public Access in Maryland” and many more resources.
The referral section contains links to clinics and APPS that can help with expungement of criminal records.
In August and September, 18 attorneys volunteered 31 hours to help 77 people with legal issues such as bankruptcy, protective orders, wills, and family law for the Ask a Lawyer in the Library program . The Eastport program just began in June and the numbers of those using the service is increasing from 3 at the first to 7 at the program held on September 27. We are happy to welcome the new volunteers who have helped in this new location: Jerry Williams, Stacy Rice, Michelle Smith, Kelly Kylis, Elizabeth Pfenson, Matthew Chalker, Kathleen McLaughlin and Kurt Karsten.
The MVLS Foreclosure Clinic scheduled on the 3rd Wednesday of the month is now held during the same hours as the Ask A Lawyer in the Law Library program: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lately, only one person has attended giving them ample time to discuss their case with the volunteer attorney, Susan Mays.
The 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. The program is also held at two additional locations, monthly, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:3o p.m. On the 3rd Wednesday of the month it is held at the Glen Burnie Regional Library and on the last (not the 4th) Tuesday of the month at the Eastport -Annapolis Neck Community Library. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.
Do you have a family law matter? Family Law matters are best addressed by Family Law Self-Help Center which is located in the back of the law library. For more information: http://www.circuitcourt.org/legal-help/family-law
Do you have a criminal case? The Office of the Public Defender provides legal services to eligible individuals. Information about the Office of the Public Defender is available at http://www.opd.state.md.us/.
Need help with a District Court matter such as landlord/tenant, small claims (less than $5,000), consumer matters, or return of property (replevin and detinue)? The District Court Self-Help Resource Center provides limited legal services for people who are not represented by an attorney. Services are provided in-person in the Glen Burnie District Court at at 7500 Gov. Ritchie Highway,Glen Burnie, Maryland 21061. More information is available at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/legalhelp/districtctselfhelpctr.html
In August, Chi Song began working at the Maryland State Law Library after working in the AACPLL during the two years while she was pursuing her Master of Library and Information Science. Chi was a great asset to the library and is very much missed by me and those who use the library. Obviously, one cannot manage this library alone especially since ThomsonReuters (West) seems to be sending so many updates recently. Things should improve once the new Law Library Associate starts later this month. Until then I will continue to juggle the many tasks needed to keep the law library going.
The 2016 supplement to the Maryland Code has arrived in the law library reflecting the more than 300 laws that will go into effect today. “Noah’s Law” or the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016 is mentioned in most news stories on the new laws. “Noah’s Law”(SB945/CH512) requires “the Motor Vehicle Administration to require a person who is convicted of specified offenses relating to driving under the influence of alcohol to participate in the Ignition Interlock System Program for specified periods of time….” Now the first offense rather than the second will require use of the device.
The Justice Reinvestment Act (SB1005/CH515) creates the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board and makes changes that relate to sentencing, criminal penalties, and inmate rehabilitation. One of the many changes pertains to expungement. New code section 10-110 of the Criminal Procedure Article will allow for the expungement of certain misdemeanors after 10 years. However, this and most of the provisions will not take effect until next October 1, 2017.
SB771/CH579 puts restrictions on certain consumer debt collection actions including “that certain actions may not revive or extend a certain statute of limitation and prohibiting a debt buyer or a certain collector from initiating a certain consumer debt collection action unless the debt buyer or the collector possesses certain documents.”
The provision that there be corroborating witness in a divorce action as states in section 7-101 of the Family Law Article was removed per SB359/CH379 and HB274/CH380. The disability of a parent in a child custody action was addressed by SB765/CH423. It states that “in any custody or visitation proceeding, the disability of a party is relevant only to the extent that the court finds, based on evidence in the record, that the disability affects the best interest of the child; requiring in a specified custody or visitation proceeding, the party alleging that the disability of the other party affects the best interest of the child to bear a specified burden of proof…”
For a detailed summary of the laws passed by the 2016 session see the 90 Day Report: A Review of the 2016 Session prepared by the Department of Legislative Services or check out the article in the Baltimore Sun today, “New Maryland laws go into effect today.”
In Maryland, when both chambers of the General Assembly (House and Senate) have passed a bill, it is submitted to the Governor for his signature to make the bill into law or, if the Governor rejects the bill by a veto, the bill becomes law through three-fifths vote of the membership of each chamber. The Maryland Constitution requires new laws to take effect on the first day of June after the session which they were passed, unless another date is scheduled. In the past, Maryland bills were scheduled to become effective in July, but lately, many laws also get scheduled to take effect at the start of the federal government’s new fiscal year, in October or at the start of the new calendar year, in January.
Media outlets, like the Baltimore Sun and the Capital Gazette have highlighted a few of the new laws that rolled-out in July. The most talked about law was the minimum wage increase to $8.75 per hour. This law is an example of how changes in state law can occur on a regularly-scheduled basis. This minimum wage change is part of an incremental increase under the Maryland Minimum Wage Act of 2014. It will reach $10.10 by July 2018.
To learn more about how a bill becomes a law in Maryland see the Maryland Manual On-Line’s page on the Legislative Process. See all Legislation passed by both chambers here. To read about more laws resulting from the 2016 session, see the Department of Legislative Services’ “90 Day Report”, a comprehensive review of legislation that was considered during the session. Also, see the “2016 Chapters: Chronological by Effective Date,” a list of new laws by Chapter Number and Bill Number in order of effective date.
The 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.
In addition to the weekly program in the courthouse, the program is offered monthly in branches of the Anne Arundel County Public Library. These programs are held in the evening from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with the lottery at 4:15 p.m. This was the second month for the Eastpost Annapolis-Neck Community Library. The Eastport program will continue on the last Tuesday of the month with the next date on August 30. The program at the Glen Burnie Regional Library will resume on August 17 after its summer break. The Glen Burnie program is offered on the third Wednesday of the month.
Twenty six people took part in the program this month and were able to speak with an attorney to request assistance with issues such as leases, bankruptcy, power of attorney, trusts and estates, patents, mortgages and procedure. Volunteer attorneys were Mike Ragland, retired from Bell, Ragland, Gauges & Paltell; Chris Boucher; Dan Mellin of Hillman, Brown and Darrow; Paul Farmer of Gormley Jarashow Bowman; Jimmy Praley of Lessans, Praley & McCormick; and Elizabeth Pfenson and Kelly Kylis of Brassel, Alexander and Rice.
This month issues included topics such as leases, bankruptcy, power of attorney, trusts and estates, patents, mortgages and procedure.
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.
Questions about foreclosure? The law library hosts the MVLS Foreclosure Brief Advice Clinic on the third Wednesday of the month for 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The next Foreclosure Clinic will be on August 17.
Do you have a family law matter? Family law issues are best addressed by the Family Law Self Help Center, which is also located in the library. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/family-law.
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/.
Eastport Annapolis-Neck Community Library offered its first “Ask a Lawyer in the Library” program on June 28, 2016. The 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.
Four attorneys volunteered for the first night: Nathan Volke of the Law Offices of Laura E. Burrows; Carole Brown, Jimmy Praley of Lessans, Praley and McCormick; and Jerry Williams of Patel and Williams.
They were assisted by librarians Amanda Spino of the Eastport Annapolis-Neck Community Library and Joan Bellistri of the Law Library. The attorneys were able to help with issues such as divorce, breach of contract and estate planning.
The “Ask a Lawyer” program will continue monthly on the last Tuesday of the month. This is the second Anne Arundel County Public Library branch to offer the program with the other being offered at the Glen Burnie Regional Library on the third Wednesday. The program is offered from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at both libraries. The next date for Eastport will be July, 26. The Glen Burnie program will resume on August 17. It is also offered every Wednesday in the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library in the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project in the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library has NEW HOURS!
July 20, 2016 is the date of the next Foreclosure clinic in the Law Library at the new time.
The Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project, a service of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, provides FREE brief legal consultations for homeowners facing foreclosure who do not have legal representation. Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Attorneys will:
Foreclosure is the legal process that the lender starts with the courts when you have not made your mortgage payments, and the lender wants to force the sale of the house to recover the balance of the mortgage. Foreclosure mediation allows the homeowner to discuss their situation with the lender under the facilitation of a mediator. Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Attorneys will NOT attend mediation with you, but may help direct you to other options for obtaining legal representation for your mediation.
More detailed information about the foreclosure process and foreclosure mediation is available on the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library Self Help and Pro Bono Wiki and the Maryland People’s Law Library.
Can’t make it to the clinic? Call the helpline: 443-808-0076
Mondays from 1:30 pm—6:00 pm
Wednesdays from 8:00 am—12:00 pm
MVLS offers the program in other locations. Check the website for more information.
AACPLL Blog: Law Library News 