Consumers have a variety of laws to protect them against fraud or other unfair business practices, and in Maryland one of the most important is the Consumer Protection Act. It is enforced by the Division of Consumer Protection of the State Attorney General’s Office. How their enforcement efforts work is illustrated in the recent case from Maryland’s highest court, Consumer …
Family Immunity in Maryland
Americans have become popularly thought of as a very litigious society, in which suing someone else for our own misfortune appears to be a way of life. The law in Maryland and many other states has changed over the last couple of decades to broaden the pool of persons who may be sued to include our own family members. In …
Forensic Evidence In Criminal Cases after CSI
A staple on television shows these days are the various Crime Scene Investigation programs, set in various cities and purporting to feature the latest in modern scientific techniques. As a practical matter, the Maryland Courts have specific rules as to how such evidence in criminal cases (and civil ones as well) can be admitted, as illustrated by some recent cases …
Use of Gender in Jury Selection
During the process of selecting a jury for trial, after jurors (if any) are struck for cause such as bias towards one of the parties, the lawyers then use what are called “peremptory” challenges. That is, at least traditionally, the lawyer can strike a certain number of jurors for any reason known only to that attorney. The courts have over …