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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

photo 1 (3)
Thank you Chris!

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.

On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you, Chris Boucher, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Six people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues regarding contracts, property, estates and foreclosure. The next program date is Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

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/.

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.
 
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Attorney Training lawlibrary

Selected Titles for New Attorneys

The BARBRI Group conducted an annual survey of law students, professors, and practitioners to assess perceptions regarding recent law graduates’ readiness to practice law. While 76% of 3Ls felt that were practice-ready, only 56% of practicing attorneys who work with recent graduates felt that the recent graduates were ready to practice. The survey report is available here.

In light of the survey findings,  we would like to share a list of titles available at the Law Library that can assist with developing a new attorney’s career and practice.

  • The Legal Career Guide: From Law Student to Lawyer by Gary A. Munneke and Ellen Wayne
  • Nonlegal Careers for Lawyers by by Gary A. Munneke, William D. Henslee and Ellen Wayne
  • Anatomy of a Trial: A Primer for Young Lawyers by Mark Paul Sandler
  • Lawyers and the American Dream by Stuart M. Speiser
  • You Raised Us – Now Work with Us: Millennials, Career Success, and Building Strong Workplace Teams by Lauren Stiller Rikleen
  • The Millennial Lawyer: Making the Most of Generational Differences in the Firm by Ursula Furi-Perry
  • Handling Cases Series
    • Handling Accident Cases by Albert Averbach
    • Handling Child Custody, Abuse, and Adoption Cases by Ann M. Haralambie
    • Handling Criminal Appeals by Jonathan M. Purver
    • Handling Drinking and Drive Cases in Maryland by Patrick E. Maher et al.
    • Handling Federal Estate and Gift Taxes by Myron Kove
    • Handling Federal Tort Claims: Administrative and Judicial Remedies by Lester Jayson
    • Handling Juvenile Delinquency Cases by F. Lee Bailey
    • Handling Narcotic and Drug Cases by F. Lee Bailey
    • Handling Social Security Disability Cases by Elliott D. Andalman et al.

In addition, the survey report found that, when forced to choose, both practicing attorneys and law school faculty ranked writing as the most important skill for recent law school graduates. The Law Library has many titles available for both new and experienced attorneys who wish to improve their legal writing. Check out these titles.

  • Legal Writing in a Nutshell by Lynn Bahrych
  • The Grammar and Writing Handbook for Lawyers by Lenne Eidson Espenschied
  • A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage by Brian A. Garner
  • The Elements of Legal Style by Brian A. Garner
  • The Winning Brief: 100 Tips for Persuasive Briefing in Trial and Appellate by Brian A. Garner
  • Judicial Opinion Writing Handbook by Joyce J. George
  • The Lawyer’s Guide to Writing Well by Tom Goldstein and Jethro K. Lieberman
  • The Scrivener: A Primer on Legal Writing by Thomas R. Haggard
  • The Modern Rules of Style by Paul Marx
  • Preparing Legal Documents Nonlawyers Can Read and Understand by Wayne Scheiss
  • Plain English for Lawyers by Richard C. Plain

This is just a small sampling of the titles available at the Law Library. If you have a specific area of focus, please let us know, and we will assist you in finding relevant resources!

Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

poster-paltell (1)
Thank you Jack!

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.

On Wednesday, June 3, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you, Jack Paltell of Bell, Ragland, Gauges & Paltell, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Six people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues regarding probate, business, employment termination, contracts and due process.

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/.

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.
 
Categories
Attorney Training lawlibrary

Reading List for Lawyers

IMG_1367The Daily Record published “A lawyer’s reader’s digest”, which presents a list of six titles that are “practice-changing” books that “will inevitably make your job easier and you more efficient.” You can check out the article here.

The recommended books are as follows, and all but the last title is available at the Law Library!

  • The Maryland Rules Commentary
  • The Maryland Rules

  • Maryland Civil Pattern Jury Instructions

  • Pattern Examinations of Witnesses for the Maryland Lawyer

  • Anatomy of a Trial: A Primer for Young Lawyers

  • Bargaining for Advantage: Negotiation Strategies for Reasonable People

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lawlibrary

Law Day Series – District Court v. Circuit Court

In connection with the Law Library’s celebration of Law Day, we will be publishing a series of eight posts that focus on the basics of the Maryland court system and legal research.

At the Law Library, library users are often confused as to whether they should be in Circuit Court (this is where the Law Library is located) or District Court. As both courts are trial courts in the Maryland Court System, this confusion is understandable.

So, where should you be? District Court or Circuit Court? The answer depends on your matter.

The District Courts are the trial courts with jurisdiction over landlord-tenant cases, replevin (return of property), detinue (return of property or its value), motor vehicle violations/traffic citations, and certain criminal matters (misdemeanors and certain felonies). The court has exclusive jurisdiction for claims under $5,000. However, the District Courts share jurisdiction with the Circuit Courts for claims above $5,000 but less than $30,000. There is also shared jurisdiction for certain criminal cases.Also, there are no jury trials in District Court. The majority of people will find themselves dealing with the District Court.

The Circuit Courts are the trial courts for generally more serious criminal cases and major civil cases. Trials can be decided by jury or by a judge in the Circuit Court. The jurisdiction of the Circuit Court is broader than that of the District Court and includes family law cases (e.g.,divorce, custody), civil matters for claims above $30,000 and juvenile matters.

Here are some helpful resources for matters.

Note that the Maryland District Court is distinct and separate from the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. If you are representing yourself in the United States District Court, you may find their Self-Help webpage helpful. Note that the United States District Court is part of the federal judicial system, not the Maryland state judicial system.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the Law Library

Stay tuned for the next post in our Law Day Series, which will provide an overview of primary legal sources in Maryland.

 

Categories
lawlibrary Maryland Law

Upcoming Changes to Maryland Family Law – Divorce

On October 1, 2015, several changes to Maryland divorce law will go into effect.  These changes were passed in the 2015 Regular Session of the General Assembly of Maryland and approved by the Governor of Maryland.

Grounds for Divorce – Mutual Consent – Senate Bill 472 / House Bill 165 (Chapter 353) is, perhaps, the most sweeping of the new changes to Maryland’s divorce law because it provides for an absolute divorce on the grounds of mutual consent if certain conditions are met. These conditions include a requirement that the parties do not have any minor children in common and that the parties submit a written settlement agreement to the court that resolves certain specific issues, such as property and financial issues.

Grounds for Limited Divorce – House Bill 0165 (Chapter 0226) affects the conditions to determine separation for purposes of granting a limited divorce on a specific ground by repealing certain requirements dealing with the voluntary nature of the separation and reconciliation. Additional information, including the Fiscal and Policy Note, is available on the General Assembly’s website.

Residency Requirement – House Bill 1185 (Chapter 473) provides that, under certain circumstances, the period of time that an applicant for divorce must reside in the State of Maryland will be reduced from one year to six months. Additional information, including the Fiscal and Policy Note, is available on the General Assembly’s website.

If you are looking for more information about divorce and other family law matters, available resources include the following.

  • FLSHCThe Family Law Self Help Center provides self-represented litigants with legal information and forms for family law matters such as divorce, custody, visitation, child support and name changes. Located at the Law Library, the Family Law Self Help Center has walk-in hours and telephone hours (410-280-5374).
  • The Law Library’s wiki site includes pages dedicated to Family Law Resources, including referrals, forms and reference materials.
  • The Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County’s website includes a “Learn About” page addressing Family Law Cases.
  • The Maryland Courts’ website includes information about Family Law Matters, such as adoption, child custody, child support, divorce, marriage and name change.
  • The Maryland People’s Law Library has a page dedicated to Family Law Articles.

For more information or help getting started with your research, contact the Law Library!

Categories
lawlibrary Maryland Law

U.S. Supreme Court rules on Maryland’s Personal Income Tax Scheme

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the personal income tax scheme in Maryland violates the dormant Commerce Clause. The Commerce Clause grants the U.S. Congress the power to regulate commerce among states. The dormant Commerce Clause is a derivative of the Commerce Clause and prevents states from “discriminat[ing] between transactions on the basis of some interstate element”. Basically, the Supreme Court found that Maryland’s personal income tax scheme violates the dormant Commerce Clause because Maryland’s personal income tax scheme does not offer, at the county-level, full credit for personal income taxes paid in other states.

For more information about this decision, check out these articles.

You can read the opinion here.

 

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Innovation

There have been a lot of recent articles about innovation in the legal field and legal profession. Innovation topics include embracing the newest technologies available to assist attorneys and non-attorneys through the legal process to innovations in the practice of law itself. Check out these articles, blogs, blog posts, and websites and let us know your thoughts!

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

FullSizeRender (2)
Thank you Jeff!

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.

On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you, Jeff Bowman from Gormley Jarashow Bowman LLC, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Seven people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues regarding property, guardianship, wills, death benefits, contracts and foreclosure. The next program date is Wednesday, June 3, 2015.

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/.

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.
 
Categories
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, May 20, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you, Crighton Chase of Hillman, Brown & Darrow, P.A., for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Two people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues related to contracts and contract disputes. The next program date is Wednesday, May 27, 2015.

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/.

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.