Daughter found guilty in animal abuse case
April 9, 2009
A Howard County judge has convicted the daughter of an 81-year-old woman imprisoned in a cat abuse case on similar animal cruelty charges. More Read More →
Md House approves bills to strip abusers of guns
March 17, 2009
The Maryland House of Delegates has approved two bills that make it easier for judges to take guns from domestic abusers. More
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Diabetic cop says he was fired over break requests
March 13, 2009
A former Ocean City police officer is suing the town, claiming he was wrongfully fired because of his requests for time to eat to maintain his blood sugar. More Read More →
Police search for links in Md. man’s disappearance
September 1, 2008
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 →
Long-term care: What legal documents are needed?
June 30, 2008
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?
June 30, 2008
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?
June 30, 2008
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
Young people & debt: What can parents do?
May 28, 2008
Under what circumstances can adults be held responsible for their children’s financial obligations? Adults can be responsible for their children’s obligations if they co-sign for them for credit purchases. Rather than co-signing, a parent could help with a cash down payment or by giving the child the money. What can parents do to teach their children about personal finances? One of the many ways is to show good spending habits. Let the children see the parents pay bills and save for more expensive... More
Young people & debt: How does it affect lives?
May 28, 2008
What is bankruptcy? Personal bankruptcy can be generally defined as a legal process that either eliminates or discharges the debts of an individual, or provides a mechanism for some percentage of a person’s debts to be repaid over three to five years. How does debt affect lives in the short- and long terms? Too much debt will have both short- and long-term impact on young lives. When applied to for credit, banks or other lenders look at the percentage of debt as compared to assets. So if, for example,... More
Young people & debt: How do teen-agers and young adults fall into financial trouble?
May 28, 2008
And is this becoming more frequent? Teen-agers typically fall into financial trouble by trying to keep up with their peers. Because so many of today’s activities involve immediate gratification, teen-agers often do not learn how to save for purchases. As a bankruptcy trustee and attorney, I see more and more 20-something people and even teens in financial trouble. What’s the youngest age at which someone can get a credit card? A teen-ager with a co-signer can obtain a credit card under the... More
