Maryland

Expert can’t offer ‘unqualified opinion’ that crime scene bullets match suspect’s gun, top state court says

A ballistics expert can testify that bullets at a crime scene are consistent with patterns on bullets fired from a suspect’s gun but can’t offer an “unqualified opinion” of a match, the Maryland Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Jun 21, 2023 12:48 PM CDT

Judge’s ‘Beowulf’ and Whistler’s mother references raise concerns with Maryland justices

An appeals judge who compared a Black defendant to a monster in the epic poem Beowulf used language that could be interpreted as evoking racial stereotypes, according to the Maryland Supreme Court.

Jun 1, 2023 10:40 AM CDT

Criminal defense lawyer convicted for conspiracy to launder drug cash loses federal appeal

A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction of a criminal defense lawyer accused of using his position as a law firm partner to help two clients launder drug money.

Apr 26, 2023 3:12 PM CDT

Former prosecutor gets prison time for stalking by subpoena

A former homicide prosecutor in Baltimore has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for using subpoenas to obtain confidential phone records that provided personal information about two former girlfriends.

Apr 24, 2023 12:01 PM CDT

Court watch movement is growing in numbers and public attention

For the past two years, singer-songwriter Fiona Apple has volunteered with Courtwatch PG, the largest court watch program in the country, to observe legal proceedings in Prince George’s County, Maryland, from her home in Los Angeles. Apple has also joined a group of advocates calling attention to the concept of court watching and aiming to get more people involved.

Apr 19, 2023 8:24 AM CDT

Murder conviction of Adnan Syed of ‘Serial’ podcast fame is reinstated because of notice issue

Adnan Syed's February 2000 conviction for the murder of his ex-girlfriend has been reinstated because the victim's brother got insufficient notice of a hearing last year in which a judge vacated the conviction.

Mar 28, 2023 4:15 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Lawyer’s Super Bowl ad leads to litigation; 2 BigLaw firms end merger talks

NFL objects to firm’s Super Bowl ad, leading to suit The Dimopoulos Law Firm in Las Vegas is seeking a declaratory judgment that its Super Bowl commercial did not infringe trademarks of NFL Properties and the Las Vegas Raiders. The law firm sued after the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter.…

Mar 3, 2023 2:27 PM CST

Judge scolds Reed Smith partner for ‘theatrics and profanity’ but says criminal contempt doesn’t apply

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Reed Smith partner can’t be punished by criminal contempt for violations of local court rules, even though his “theatrics and profanity" are "contrary to the traditions of civility and collegiality" of the court.

Feb 22, 2023 2:21 PM CST

Citing show-cause order against Reed Smith partner, judge allows firm to withdraw from case

A federal judge in Maryland is allowing four Reed Smith lawyers to withdraw from the representation of former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby because of possible contempt proceedings against one of them.

Jan 30, 2023 1:39 PM CST

Reed Smith asks to drop representation of former Baltimore state’s attorney after judge threatens sanctions

Four lawyers from Reed Smith are asking a judge to allow them to withdraw from the representation of former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby after a judge threatened sanctions against a law firm partner for violating local court rules.

Jan 23, 2023 2:51 PM CST

Former CFO of Girardi Keese is arrested for alleged $10M ‘side fraud’ scheme

Updated: The former chief financial officer of bankrupt Los Angeles law firm Girardi Keese has been arrested on a federal charge of wire fraud.

Nov 9, 2022 1:50 PM CST

$7M adultery penalty in postnuptial agreement is valid, appeals court says

A wife’s agreement to stay in a marriage after her husband’s adultery was adequate consideration for a $7 million penalty against him in a postnuptial agreement for any subsequent extramarital romantic relationship, a state appeals court has ruled.

Nov 2, 2022 1:47 PM CDT

This federal judge called cops to report squeegee guys who gave him the finger, spat on his car

A federal judge overseeing a consent decree requiring police reform in Baltimore called police in that city Oct. 16 to report two hostile squeegee men working at an intersection in the Bolton Hill neighborhood in Baltimore.

Oct 24, 2022 1:52 PM CDT

Charges are dropped against Adnan Syed of ‘Serial’ podcast fame after further DNA tests

Updated: Additional DNA testing has led prosecutors to drop charges against Adnan Syed, whose murder case was featured on the Serial podcast, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced Tuesday.

Oct 11, 2022 2:16 PM CDT

Adnan Syed of ‘Serial’ podcast fame released to home detention after judge vacates murder conviction

A Baltimore judge has vacated the murder conviction of Adnan Syed, whose case was featured on the Serial podcast, after Baltimore prosecutors said the defense was never given information about two “alternative suspects.”

Sep 20, 2022 8:46 AM CDT