After a conviction, it may seem as if the only option remaining is to serve the sentence that the judge orders. However, the judge's orders are not always the final word in the case. The American Bar Association explains that the law allows the defendant to challenge...
Last time, we saw how juvenile delinquency cases are heard in Montgomery County, with a look back at the unique history here. Today, I examine how these judges have extraordinary discretion to essentially make or break the lives of juveniles in the county. Before...
If facing criminal charges and you learned the authorities have an eyewitness, your heart likely sank. Judges and juries have long placed significant weight on the testimony of people who witnessed alleged crimes. However, many factors may affect the reliability of...
When I was assigned to the juvenile rotation in 2013, a fellow judge in Baltimore City told me that this would be the most important work I would do as a judge. I believed her then and I found it to be true. Juveniles can be put on a better path so they do not...
In some instances, imprisonment may not be the best way of managing people who use illicit drugs or obtain them by illegal means. Treatment for drug abuse may be a better solution. Drug courts are now in operation in every state in the union as well as the District...
Having a Maryland criminal record may haunt you, and this holds true even if your record contains information about an offense you received a conviction for as a juvenile. Depending on the type of conviction you received, you may find that it follows you for years....
Appealing a criminal conviction is not an automatic right. Many people do not understand how appeals work and that your case must qualify. According to the District of Columbia Courts, you do have the right to request an appeal in any situation. However, the court...
DNA evidence plays a significant role in the criminal justice system. In some cases, it can convict a person of a crime. In others, it establishes the innocence of a person who has spent years of their life in prison. Because it is a deciding factor in so many...
In Maryland, all things “delinquency” flow through the Department of Juvenile Services. If you are a parent seeking a peace order in a juvenile case, you would go there. If you are a police officer who has arrested a juvenile, you know to go there. If you are an...
White collar crimes often slide under the radar when people discuss life-ruining convictions. But a conviction for one of these crimes can and often does have the power to ruin lives. The FBI states that federal law enforcement agencies investigate all crimes brought...