Traffic stops: When may an officer search a vehicle?

An officer may search a vehicle under the following circumstances: (1) If the officer has a search warrant, he or she may search anywhere in the vehicle that it is reasonable to find evidence or instrumentalities of a crime that are named in the warrant. (2) If the officer does not have a search warrant but has probable cause to believe that fruits, evidence, or instrumentalities of a crime are in the vehicle, the officer may search anywhere in it that it is reasonable to find those items. (3) If... More

Traffic stops: When may an officer stop a motorist?

An officer may stop a motorist if the officer has reasonable suspicion, based on an articulable set of facts, that the driver or a passenger has committed a felony in the past or is committing a felony or misdemeanor or violating a traffic law or has a safety infraction. How should a motorist respond when an officer signals for him or her to stop? Upon a show of authority by the police, i.e., flashing lights, siren, hand signals, the motorist should pull to the side of the road as soon as it is safe... More

Foreclosures: Is it too late to prevent the sale of my property?

Maybe not. If you have not spoken with your lender, do so immediately. Find out the details of the default, which the lender believes you have committed, and what you can do to remedy this. If you think your lender has made a mistake and that there is no default under the loan, bring this to the lender’s attention as soon as possible. You have the right to go before the court to prove that you did not default. Seek professional assistance to prove this. Generally, the only legal basis upon which... More

Police search for links in Md. man’s disappearance

Prince George’s County police are looking into whether a man’s disappearance two weeks ago is related to an invasion of his home by armed men. Twenty-eight-year-old Anthony Nelson has not been seen since he left his Capitol Heights home on Aug. 16. His family says later that day two gunmen came into the home and restrained Nelson’s mother, aunt and half- brother. More  Read More →

What happens after the petition is filed?

Q. What happens after the petition is filed? A. The Court will sign an order requiring the ward, his or her attorney, and any other interested person or agency to respond to the guardianship request within 20 days. The ward and any interested person or agency must be notified of the proceedings and his or her rights at them. The court will appoint an attorney to represent the ward and may appoint an independent investigator to look over the facts of the case and report written findings to the court. The... More

How is a guardian appointed?

Q. How is a guardian appointed? A. A petition must be filed with the Circuit Court in the county where the alleged disabled person resides, is hospitalized or is located. The petition should state all reasons for the appointment of a guardian and whether the request is for guardianship of the ward’s person, property or both. The petition should provide the petitioner’s name, address and telephone number, date of birth and relationship to the ward. It must include the ward’s name, address, gender,... More

What is a guardian?

Q. What is a guardian? A. A guardian is appointed by the Court to assume legal responsibility for another person or another person’s property or both. Guardianship is appropriate when a disabled person, known as the ward, is unable to make responsible decisions concerning his or her medical care or financial situation, usually because of a physical or mental illness. Sometimes guardianship may be necessary to obtain consent for a specific medical procedure, for continuing ongoing medical care or... More

Long-term care: What legal documents are needed?

From an estate-planning perspective, wills, financial powers of attorney and advanced medical directives. From the long-term care service perspective, contracts with the long-term care provider should be carefully reviewed. An advanced medical directive usually provides for very difficult end-of-life decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment. Do-not-resuscitate orders can be used if an individual desires and are usually obtained from health-care providers. What plans can people make in case they... More

Long-term care: What legal issues arise?

Health-care decision-making and financial management issues for the patient need to be addressed through proper execution of financial powers of attorney and advanced medical directives. Then, the actual payment of the long-term care service is often considered, which may involve planning for the submission of an application for Medicaid. Simultaneously, a review of other estate-planning documents is usually performed. What if the patient becomes mentally unable to make decisions? In the best case,... More

What is long-term care, when do we need it and how do we plan for it?

Long-term care is a phrase that describes an array of services provided by skilled nursing professionals who support individuals who need assistance due to mental or physical limitations, or both. These limitations may be caused by illness, injury or diminished mental capacity. Anyone concerned with the potential for the need to receive long-term care services either for themselves, family or friends should consider planning. Typically, senior citizens, or children of senior citizens, seek planning. Long-term... More

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