The Maryland Assembly has recently passed the Justice Reinvestment Act which is generally aimed at significantly reduces Maryland’s prison population. Our partner, Judge Joe Murphy (ret.) played a key role in formulating much of this legislation. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 122-19 and the Senate 46-0.…
Judge Alfred Nance of the Baltimore City Circuit Court has ruled that defendants in Maryland criminal cases are entitled to be represented by an attorney at their initial appearance before a court commissioner. Appellate Courts in Maryland have previously ruled that appearances before a court commissioner were not “critical stages…
Aggressive Maryland criminal defense attorneys know that the best way to attack a search warrant is by attacking the affidavit in support of the warrant. This is commonly referred to as a Franks Hearing. In Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154, 98 S.Ct. 2674, 57 L.Ed.2d 667 (1978), the Supreme…
The purpose of the insanity defense in Maryland is to ensure that the criminal sanction is imposed only on those who had the cognitive and volitional capacity to comply with the law. Robey v. State, 54 Md.App. 60, 73, 456 A.2d 953, 960 (Md.App. 1983). The test to determine whether…
As an experienced Maryland Criminal lawyer at Silverman, Thompson, Slutkin & White, LLC who has personally represented thousands of clients at the preliminary hearing stage, I am often asked by clients to explain exactly what is a preliminary hearing in Maryland? In the Maryland criminal justice system, a preliminary hearing…
The Court of Appeals of Maryland recently approved new discovery rules for criminal cases in Maryland, which will go into effect on July 1, 2008. The Court rescinded the previous versions of Maryland Rule 4-262, which governed discovery in the District Court, and Maryland Rule 4-263, which governed discovery in…
Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney – Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer – Baltimore Criminal Attorney – Baltimore Criminal Lawyer – Drug Offenses, Assault, Domestic Violence, Sex Offenses, Rape, Armed Robbery, Murder – These are just a few of the offenses wherein an experienced criminal attorney in Maryland may choose to file a…
Maryland Criminal Attorney – Maryland Criminal Lawyer – Baltimore Criminal Attorney – Baltimore Criminal Lawyer – There is an interesting case in the Baltimore Sun today that brings up a topic that I deal with regulary that almost no one, including most attorneys really undestands – extradition. An experienced Maryland…