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Marital Settlement Agreement

Thanks to a change in Maryland law that went into effect last month, the Law Library has experienced a notable increase in the number of people requesting assistance with marital settlement agreements. The change in Maryland Law provides for an absolute divorce on the grounds of mutual consent if certain conditions are met. One of these conditions is the submission of a written settlement agreement that resolves all of the issues relating to alimony and the distribution of property.

What is a marital settlement agreement? A marital settlement agreement, also commonly referred to as a separation agreement or a property settlement agreement, is a written document that is a binding contract between a married couple in preparation for divorce, that they enter into voluntarily in order to address the division of their property, alimony and other relevant topics.

For background information, including negotiating and enforcing a marital settlement agreement, check out this article on the People’s Law Library.

Do you need to find a sample agreement? The Law Library can assist with you with locating samples that you can use as a starting point for drafting your marital settlement agreement. Please note, however, that the library cannot advise you as to what you should or should not include in your settlement agreement.

Do you need help with your marital settlement agreement? The Maryland Courts Self-Help Center (Phone: 410-260-1392) and the Family Law Self-Help Center (Phone: 410-280-5374) may be able to help. Please remember that the self-help centers can only provide limited legal assistance, so they may not be able to review your agreement in its entirety.

For more information, please contact the Law Library!

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Today is Veterans Day!

This is a reposting of our 2014 Veterans Day blog post.

The Library is Closed today, November 11, 2015, as Veterans Day is a Court Holiday.  The Law Library will be open tomorrow, Thursday, November 12, 2015. A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website at http://www.circuitcourt.org/court-holidays.

For those of you who love grammar, this blog abides by the federal government’s spelling of Veterans Day. Specifically, there is no apostrophe before the “s” at the end of “Veterans”.  According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (note that there is no apostrophe here either), “Veterans Day” does not include an apostrophe “because it is not a day that ‘belongs’ to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.”*  What do they mean?  Well, thanks to the addition of an apostrophe, the “Veteran” in “Veteran’s Day” and the “Veterans” in “Veterans’ Day” are nouns in the possessive case (singular in the first case and plural in the second case), which implies that the day itself belongs to an individual veteran or to veterans as a group.  However, without the apostrophe, the “Veterans” in “Veterans Day” is an attributive adjective, which means that “Veterans” describes an attribute of “Day” without being possessive.  Thus, the day does not belong to an individual veteran or veterans as a group. However, each of these three options can be grammatically correct.  Which do you prefer?

For more information about the history of Veterans Day, check out http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp.  Do you want to read the United States statute designating November 11 of each year as Veterans Day and a legal, public holiday, check out http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-89/pdf/STATUTE-89-Pg479.pdf or you can come visit the library to view a hard copy.

*http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp
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Assisting our Veterans

This is a repost of our 2014 blog post.

14poster_highresTomorrow is Veterans Day!  Veterans Day, which is observed on November 11 of each year, was established to thank and honor all those who served in the United States armed forces during wartime and peacetime. In particular, Veterans Day honors and thanks living veterans for their service. One great way to thank the over 21 million veterans in the United States for their service is to volunteer our own services to veterans in need. Are you an attorney interested in pro bono legal service projects to assist veterans? Here are some organizations with ongoing pro bono legal service projects that are in need of attorney volunteers.

– Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland’s Veterans’ Benefits Pro Bono Project (http://probonomd.org/about-us/about-veterans-benefits/)

– Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc. (http://www.hprplaw.org/)

– The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program (http://www.vetsprobono.org/volunteer-today/)

Additional volunteer opportunities are available at http://www.volunteer.va.gov/. Don’t forget, the Law Library is always available to assist you in your search for pro bono service projects.

Are you a veteran looking for information about compensation and benefits?  The People’s Law Library has two articles that might be of interest. Check them out at http://www.peoples-law.org/veterans-compensation and http://www.peoples-law.org/veterans-pension-benefits. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (http://va.gov/) and the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs (http://veterans.maryland.gov/) are also good resources for additional information.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Which Self-Help Center should I call???

There are 3 types of self-help centers in Maryland, which provide limited legal help for people who do not have an attorney. Here’s a brief breakdown of the self-help centers. If you are not sure which self-help center is the right one for you, please contact the law library!

Maryland Courts Self-Help Center

District Court Self-Help Resource Centers

Family Law Self-Help Centers*
  • Online Chat
  • Phone (410-260-1392)
  • Online Chat
  • Phone (410-260-1392)
  • Walk-In in Upper Marlboro and Glen Burnie Only
  • Anne Arundel County Phone (410-280-5374)
  • Statewide Phone (410-260-1392) and Online Chat (see Maryland Courts Self-Help Center)
  • Walk-In in most Circuit Courts
Hours: 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM

Monday through Friday

 Walk-in Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Monday through Friday

PHONE AND ONLINE is the same as the Maryland Courts Self-Help Center

 Walk-in Hours vary by location: Anne Arundel County Family Self-Help Center is open:  MON, WED & THU 9:00 – 4:30 and TUE & FRI 9:00 – 1:00

Anne Arundel County Phone: 410-280-5374
9:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
Monday through Friday

PHONE AND ONLINE is the same as the Maryland Courts Self-Help Center
Full Range of CIVIL matters

  • landlord-tenant
  • small and large claims
  • debt collection
  • return of property (replevin and detinue)
  • protective orders
  • peace orders
  • shielding
  • expungement
  • divorce
  • custody
  • child support
  • guardianship
 District Court Civil Matters ONLY (Walk-Ins)

  • landlord-tenant
  • debt collection
  • return of property (replevin and detinue)
  • small and large claims
  • protective orders
  • peace orders

Phone and Online Chat Services are the same as Maryland Courts Self-Help Center.

 Family Law Matters ONLY

  • divorce
  • custody
  • child support
  • domestic violence (protective orders)
  • name change

*Scroll to the bottom of the page to locate the Family Law Self Help Center nearest you.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Introducing the Maryland Courts Self-Help Center!

On October 30, 2015, the Maryland Judiciary launched the Maryland Courts Self-Help Center, which expands the FREE self-help services available for self-represented litigants (people representing themselves without an attorney). Phone and online services are available for CIVIL matters in District Court and Circuit Court.

 

HOURS: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

PHONE NUMBER: 410-260-1392

ONLINE CHAT: http://www.mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/selfhelpcenters.html

(Click on this image on the website: reponline)

 

Civil matters include landlord-tenant matters, claims, debt collection, peace orders, protective orders, shielding, expungement, guardianship and family law matters (divorce, custody, child support, etc.). The types of available services include assistance with understanding court documents, assistance completing court forms, information on how to file documents with the court, assistance preparing for your court appearances and assistance preparing for your mediations.
If you’re interested in sharing this information, check out their flyer.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

admin-ajaxThe 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, November 4, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you Mike Ragland and Jack Paltell, from 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 contract issues, eviction, buying a home in foreclosure, conversion and detainer. The next program date is Wednesday, November 18, 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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Election Day

2015 is an off-year election year, meaning that there are only a few special federal elections and only a few elections in other states. This year, Maryland does not have any state legislative elections nor a gubernatorial (governor) election.  However, the following elections are taking place today.

  • Bowie Mayoral Election
  • Salisbury Mayoral Election
  • College Park Mayoral Election
  • Laurel Mayoral Election
  • Rockville Mayoral Election

To find your polling location, check out the website for the Maryland State Board of Elections.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Calling Attorney Volunteers!

CelebrateProBono_cmykHas National Pro Bono Week inspired you to volunteer your legal services, but you don’t know where to start? If so, contact the Law Library! We can connect you with organizations such as the Maryland Lawyers Service and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, which provide training and formal volunteer programs as well as more limited volunteer opportunities. We can assist in matching you with the pro bono service or program that best fits your skills and goals.

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The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program – Pro Bono Services at the Library

Untitled drawing (2)Ask a Lawyer in the Library is one of the Law Library’s major outreach programs, which provides much-needed legal services to self-represented litigants and underrepresented litigants. Every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., any member of the public can sign-up to speak with our volunteer attorney on civil, non-family law legal matters. In addition, on the third Wednesday of each month, the program is held at the North County Area Library in Glen Burnie from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. To ensure fairness, sign-up is in-person, via lottery, 15 minutes prior to the program start time, and consultations are limited to twenty minutes. The Law Library’s partners include the Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.

Since its inception in 2009, 131 attorneys have contributed over 1,289 pro bono service hours to assist over 2,500 people. The Law Library would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of the volunteer attorneys, the Anne Arundel Bar Association, the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, and the Law Library staff. This program would not be possible without everyone’s hard work and dedication.

Calling all Volunteers! The Law Library is always looking for new volunteers for the Ask a Lawyer in the Library program. Dates and times are flexible. If you are nervous about volunteering, the Law Library’s staff is always on hand to provide support, including reference and referral services. In addition, the program is a limited legal advice service, and attorneys are only committing to the program hours. Please contact Joan Bellistri if you would like to learn more about available volunteer opportunities.

Recaps! The Law Library’s blog provides regular recaps of each Ask a Lawyer in the Library program. Recaps always include the number of program participants, the names of volunteer attorneys and a sampling of the types of issues addressed during the individual consultations.

Last week, on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, the Law Library hosted its weekly program at the Law Library and coordinated its monthly program at the North County Area Library in Glen Burnie. For the weekly program at the Law Library, Marietta Warren from Hillman Brown & Darrow served as our volunteer attorney and met with 6 individuals to discuss issues such as an Orphan’s Court appeal, bankruptcy, employment, landlord/tenant, estate plans and mortgages. In addition, library staff provided reference and referral services for an expungement matter and a family law matter for participants.

For the monthly evening program, Alan Forman and Susan Mays served as our volunteer attorneys. Alan and Susan met with 13 people to discuss issues including court procedure, probate, Atomic Compensation Waiver and real estate. In addition, Joan Bellistri provided on-site administration and coordination services as well as provided reference and referrals services to 2 individuals seeking assistance with a protective order, family law matters and expungement.

On, October 28, 2015, the Law Library hosted its weekly program, and Paul Farmer of Gormley Jarashow Bowman provided consultations to 7 people on issues such as foreclosure, contracts, court procedure, tort procedure, licensing, estates and a writ of mandamus for a vehicle title.

For more information about the program, check out http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library, or you can check out our past blog posts!

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Congratulations to Joan Bellistri!

The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland’s 25th Anniversary Honorees include Joan Bellistri, Director of the Law Library, as a Partner Honoree. Over the course of her 35-year career at the Law Library, Joanie has dedicated herself to increasing access to legal information and services for the significant and growing self-represented litigant population. This includes outreach such as the library’s weekly Ask a Lawyer in the Library program, which Joanie launched in 2009, the collection of self-help and plain English reference and research materials in the library’s collection, and ongoing reference and research services to the members of the public who walk daily through the library’s doors.

In addition, Joanie’s commitment to providing access to justice services extends beyond the walls of the Law Library. From 2008 to 2011, Joanie was a member of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission and served on the Self-Represented Litigant Committee, the Self Help Center Advisory Sub-Committee, and the Limited Scope Representation Sub-Committee. She worked with the Department of Social Services to develop a legal component for Anne Arundel County’s Homeless Resource Day in 2009 and has coordinated the pro bono legal services for the Annual Homeless Resource Day since then. In addition, Joanie chaired the Anne Arundel County Bar’s Local Pro Bono Committee from its revival in 2011 until July 2015.

Congratulations Joanie on this well-deserved recognition!