Tag: Consumer Law

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Access to NCLC Resources: Landlord-Tenant Law  

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) is known for consumer‑law resources, but did you know it also offers practice manuals available in its Digital Library?

What the Landlord‑Tenant Resources Cover 

  •  National Housing Law Project’s HUD Housing Programs: Tenants’ Rights— A standard guide to understanding HUD housing programs.
  • Access to Utility Service (NCLC) — Covers landlord-tenant problems related to gas, electric, or water utilities, including terminations, excess charges, affordability, access, and security deposits. Also has a chapter on tenant strategies for maintaining service when landlords are unable or unwilling to pay the utility bill for the whole building.  
  • Surviving Debt- Chapter 20 (NCLC) — Eviction response and strategies for lease exit with minimal cost; authored by a Housing Law Project attorney.  
  • Fair Credit Reporting (NCLC) — Tenant rights related to inaccuracies in screening and eviction reports, as well as how to keep inaccuracies out of credit reports. 
  • Collection Actions § 12.2 (NCLC) — Analysis of challenges that come up rent‑debt collection, junk fees, and discrepancies from security deposits. Integrates with Fair Debt Collection Practices, see § 7.4.12. 
  • Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice, Chapter 18, also see § 18.8 — Tenant protections when landlord files for bankruptcy.  
  • Repossessions § 15.7.4 and UDAP § 8.2.8.4 (NCLC) — Tenant rights when personal property is seized or warehoused; remedies under state unfair‑deceptive acts statutes.  
  • Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices and §§ 2.2.6 & 8.2 — Broad remedies for deceptive landlord behavior under state UDAP laws.  
  • Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys — ideal for when landlord‑tenant cases cross over into federal court. Helpful in actions against a landlord or housing agency.  
  • NCLC Consumer Class Actions— critical resource for new and experienced class actions exploring any subject area. 
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What’s New…

New from the National Consumer Law Center!

The Law Library has added new editions from the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). Often referred to as “the bibles of consumer law” and “nation’s consumer law expert”, the NCLC is dedicated to helping their consumers, advocates, and public policy makers on behalf of low-income and vulnerable Americans seeking economic justice. Most of their authors are typically NCLC staff attorneys with more than 21 or even more than 40 years of consumer law expertise.

Books that have been cataloged include Consumer and Worker Arbitration Provisions, 9th Edition, as well as Federal Deception & Abuse Law, 5th Edition.

Call Number: KF 9084 .B53 2024     Call Number: KF 1609 .S524 2024

Maryland Sentencing Guidelines

A new edition of the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy’s Maryland Sentencing Guidelines Manual: Version 16.1 is now available in the law library (KFM1763 .M3) and online. The changes went into effect on November 1, 2024.

This publication is also available on the website of the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy here.

Call Number: KFM 1763 .M3

Maryland Civil Pattern Jury Instructions

A new Maryland Civil Pattern Jury Instructions, 5th edition, has arrived with the 2024 update. This edition contains two new chapters which address two areas that haven’t been previously addressed, employment law and constitutional torts.

The new instructions can be found on the shelf (KFM 1742.6 .M37 2024) and are also available online via Lexis in the law library for court users.

Call Number:

KFM 1742.6 .M37 2024

MSBA (Maryland State Bar Association) and NBI (National Business Institute

From the MSBA (Maryland State Bar Association) and the NBI (National Business Institute). The following titles are also available on Lexis in the law library:

Maryland Practice Civil Procedure Forms (2024)—Volumes 3 and 4

Call Number:  KFM 1730 .A65 L5 2024

Maryland Workers’ Compensation (2024-2025)—Volumes 1 and 2

Call Number: KFM 1542 .S63 2024

Maryland Estate Administration from Start to Finish

Published by NBI (National Business Institute):

Call Number:

KFM 1347 .J6 2024

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National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) Offers Free Practice Aids

A recent email from NCLC cites to their article entitled, Hundreds of Free Practice Aids on the NCLC Digital Library, stating that [the] “NCLC Digital Library contains a massive amount of free consumer law practice aids, in addition to the 21 NCLC treatises requiring a subscription. This article describes twelve available types of free resources, including free access to Surviving Debt, the Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys, a student loan toolkit, eleven consumer law practice checklists, and 21 chapters and over 70 appendices from NCLC treatises.”

See more about these resources here. The law library’s subscription includes the print and online access to the full NCLC library.

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What’s new …

New editions are on the shelf in the Anne Arundel County Public law Library.

From the MSBA (Maryland State Bar Association) The following titles are also available on Lexis here in the law library:

KFM1783.M3 2024

This new edition of the Maryland Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions includes new instructions and revisions to the current instructions.

KFM1344.1 .W68 2024

“The book contains dozens of forms, from sample clauses that provide the practitioner with options to consider when drafting discrete provisions (such as those necessary to define and limit classes of beneficiaries or name guardians and trustees), to full renditions of different types of wills. “

Published by NBI (National Business Institute):

KFM1738.M3 2024

“Hearing what acting judges prefer to see in their courtrooms to make the gears of justice move more smoothly is invaluable to every attorney: veteran and novice alike.”

KFM1344.1.G69 2024

This publication includes forms for wills and trusts.

From NCLC (National Consumer Law Center). All of the NCCL titles are also available online in the law library in the NCLC Digital Library.

SELF HELP NCLC KF695.P59 2024

SELF HELP NCLC KF8896.R67 2024

SELF HELP NCLC KF2094.A33 2024

Published by the Office of the Maryland Attorney General:

KFM1662.6.A25 C8 2023

This publication is also available on the website of the Maryland Attorney General here.

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NCLC COVID-19 Update

The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has updated the article, Major Consumer Protections Announced in Response to COVID-19. This article covers many topics of concern to consumers as related to COVID-19:

This article also includes links to the first chapters of all of the NCLC publications. Titles include Home Foreclosures, Fair Debt Collection, Mortgage Lending and many more. These titles are a part of the law library’s collection with print and online access. Check out the library’s online catalog by searching “NCLC” for a listing of library holdings. Call the law library if you need information from any of the NCLC titles.

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NCLC Article: Major Consumer Protections Announced in Response to COVID-19

The National Consumer Law Center has published an article, Major Consumer Protections Announced in Response to COVID-19, that covers the following topics:

NCLC books are available in the law library in print and online. If you need information on any of these consumer topics, please call (410-222-1387) or email the library (AALawLibrarian@mdcourts.gov)

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National Consumer Law Center: Access NCLC Titles Digitally in the Library!

NCLC

You may already know that the Law Library has an extensive collection of National Consumer Law Center titles on our shelves. But did you know the library also offers these same titles online?

Easily navigate a wealth of information regarding Debtor Rights, Credit and Banking, Consumer Litigation, and Deception and Warranties using the Law Library’s digital subscription. Enjoy the functionality of speedy, thorough searches for information, as well as the hassle-free ability to copy, paste, email, and share texts with the click of a mouse.

This digital subscription includes not only the standard 20 titles, but web links to primary sources, related court decisions, forms, links, and a plethora of other useful resources. The NCLC website also has free webinars, information on NCLC legal assistance programs, consulting services for attorneys and legislation/rulemakings on consumer topics.

Visit the Law Library to access these valuable information resources.

 

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lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws in Effect Today, October 1, 2016

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.”

 

 

 

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Newly Cataloged Materials-National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)

Recently, the Law Library cataloged a new set of valuable resources from the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC). The Center is described as the “nation’s consumer law expert,” assisting the general public, attorneys, advocates and public policy makers. Books that have been cataloged include Fair Credit Reporting, 8th Edition, Repossessions 8th Edition, Consumer Law Pleadings Website and Index Guide 2013, and Consumer Law on the Web December 2013.

In addition, to print resources NCLC comes with a companion website that patrons have access to. Also, NCLC website has free webinars, information on NCLC legal assistance programs, consulting services for attorneys and legislation/rulemakings on consumer topics.

Check out the website here: National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)

By: Julie Shenk, Law Library Intern

NCLC