Never get a speeding ticket again

With the price of gas lately, I’m trying to avoid speeding for conservation’s sake; whether I’m at work in Baltimore or at home in Bethesda, a tank of gas is now a serious investment. But should I decide to throw caution to the wind - or if I’m really in a hurry…. Trapster.com might be my salvation. I heard about it on the radio while commuting to work this... More

The view from a Hagerstown jail

In her debut Publisher’s Letter this month, Suzanne Fischer-Huettner writes: [This publication is] written for people who want to know more, understand more and put themselves in someone else’s shoes for a short time to take away an experience that will help each of us understand Baltimore issues and our legal rights a little better. I thought about her words on Monday, while I waited to be admitted into the Maryland Correctional Institute in Hagerstown. Alright, so I wasn’t being... More

On a jury, it only takes one

One of the most important lessons my parents taught me was “Reasonable, intelligent people can disagree.” It was more difficult trying to teach me how to be one of those people. I’m still not sure if the lesson took. The editorial in the inaugural edition of Exhibit A touches on one of those issues where reason and passion can be found on both sides of the argument: jury nullification. I’m in favor of it. If I were on a jury, I could not in good conscience vote for conviction if I thought... More

2 given probation for attack described by judge as ‘morally shocking’

Two men received probation Wednesday for doing nothing to stop an unprovoked attack on a veteran journalist, a crime a judge called “morally shocking.” More  Read More →

In pursuit of the trivial

“A lawyer is a person who writes a 10,000-word document and calls it a ‘brief.’” So said legendary author Franz Kafka, who happened to be an attorney himself. More  Read More →

Police followed protocol on night Rockville father drowned kids

An internal review has found that Montgomery County police followed proper protocol the night a Rockville man allegedly drowned his three children in a Baltimore hotel.Mark Castillo was supposed to return the children to their mother in Silver Spring at 8:30 p.m. March 29. His estranged wife, Amy Castillo, called Montgomery County police three times between 10:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. the next day to report that the children had not been returned and that her husband had “mental health issues.” ... More

Launch Party

The launch party for Exhibit A was held on Wednesday, April 23 at Westminster Hall, site of Edgar Allan Poe’s grave. More than 500 Baltimoreans were invited to get a glimpse of the first issue of Exhibit A - The Law in Plain English.  Read More →

Over 30 teen sect girls are pregnant or had baby

SAN ANTONIO - Texas child welfare officials say almost 60 percent of the underage girls taken in a raid on a polygamist compound in west Texas either have children or are pregnant. Of the 53 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 who are in state custody, 31 either have given birth or are expecting, said Child Protective Services spokesman Darrell Azar. “It shows you a pretty distinct pattern, that it was pretty pervasive,” Azar said Monday after releasing the latest figures. Under Texas... More

Pikesville police make arrest in case of puzzling noise, lights

Police say they’ve made an arrest in connection with a middle-of-the-night mystery captured on videotape.Frederick Lee Mackler, 59, has been charged with controlled dangerous substance violations, possession of fireworks without a permit and reckless endangerment. He is being held on $1 million bail; a bail review was set for April 30. More  Read More →

Should bars and restaurants be allowed to provide outdoor areas for smokers?

Yes, they should. I don’t smoke, but my wife does. If she wants to go outside in a smoking area, she should be able to. − James Bell, Baltimore That’s a tough one. I’m largely in favor of the ban for health issues, but there’s the issue of the right to control one’s own business. If smokers have a place to be and others aren’t exposed to secondhand smoke, then it sounds reasonable. − David Diggs, Severna Park Yes, I think they should. But it shouldn’t turn into another room where... More

Next Page »