Helpful Articles

  • Deciphering the “Lis Pendens”

    Seattle real estate attorneys, real estate brokers, and escrow companies deal with the “lis pendens” from time to time, and many people are not sure what it means. The Latin definition is simply: notice of a pending lawsuit. The Revised Code of Washington defines “lis pendens” as an “instrument having the effect of clouding the title to real property, however, named, including consensual commercial lien, common-law lien, commercial contractual lien, or demand fo...

     

    Posted by Thomas L. Dickson 01/27/2018
  • Judicial Foreclosure and Nonjudicial Foreclosure: the Differences

    Used together, a promissory note and a deed of trust embody the most common type of mortgage. The deed of trust is recorded on the borrower’s title securing the note and prioritizing the loan’s position on title. There are only two ways to foreclose on this mortgage: judicially and nonjudicially. Judicial Foreclosure and Redemption A judicial foreclosure is processed through the courts by filing a complaint for a judgment on the note which accelerates the unpaid balance, and orders the sh...

     

    Posted by Thomas L. Dickson 01/27/2018
  • Zoning, Nuisance, and Barking Dogs

    One barking dog is private nuisance, many is a public one.  Under either circumstance, counties and cities have remedies for these problems.  Complaints are made to the Code Enforcement of the local government, and to Animal Control.  If there are questions on licensing of animals, the auditor of each county may be source to challenge eligibility.  Nearly all local governments have Internet forms for lodging formal complaints. The denser the zoning in a locality the less ch...

     

    Posted by Thomas L. Dickson 01/27/2018
  • Are you responsible for your parents' debt?

    A question I often get asked when discussing the consequences of the death of a parent is: Am I responsible for my parents’ debt when they die? The quick answer to that question is…..no. Whether your parents have an estate plan or not, if they die with debt in THEIR names, there is a legal process that should be followed. Firstly, if the parent died with assets that are not in a trust, depending on their assets and the amount, a probate case needs to be opened with the county co...

     

    Posted by Lauren Jackson 01/23/2018
  • How to Fight an Insurance Fraud Charge

    Being charged with insurance fraud means that the prosecutor is accusing you of making a fraudulent (false) act to get a certain outcome from an insurance company.  Most insurance fraud cases involve car insurance or health insurance, although other types of insurance can be involved. Fighting an insurance fraud charge can be difficult. However, if you hire a Los Angeles insurance fraud attorney with experience fighting insurance fraud cases, you can often achieve a better outcome for y...

     

    Posted by Aaron Spolin 01/17/2018
  • Posted by Russell Gregory 01/16/2018
  • Are You Charged With Assaulting a Family Member?

    The holidays are rapidly approaching, and ‘tis the season to be jolly. Unless, of course, the stress that can accompany the holidays leads to a family dispute that ends in an assault charge. Against you. Experts have long maintained that domestic violence can go up during the year-end holiday season due to holiday stress from spending time with relatives you might not normally see—or even get along with. There’s also the expense of seasonal gift giving, and the pressure of ...

     

    Posted by Randolph Rice, Jr 01/12/2018
  • Is DUI in Maryland a Felony or Misdemeanor?

    Is DUI in Maryland a felony or misdemeanor? In the State of Maryland, a DUI is a misdemeanor. DUI stands for “driving under the influence of alcohol.” Maryland Transportation Article 27-101 classifies a DUI as a misdemeanor. Maryland Transportation Article 27-101(a), which contains the penalty for DUI, states, “it is a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of the Maryland Vehicle Law unless the violation: (1) Is declared to be a felony by the Maryland Vehi...

     

    Posted by Randolph Rice, Jr 01/12/2018
  • First Offense DUI in Maryland

    What will happen with a first offense DUI in Maryland? Most first offense DUI charges in Maryland result in a PBJ as the outcome. A PBJ is an acronym for “probation before judgment.” A PBJ is defined in Maryland Criminal Procedure 6-220(b). BENEFITS OF A PBJ IN A DUI CASE A PBJ means that the defendant has not been found guilty. The law states, “a court may stay the entering of judgment, defer further proceedings, and place the defendant on probation subject to reasonable condition...

     

    Posted by Randolph Rice, Jr 01/12/2018
  • How to Find a Baltimore Car Accident Lawyer?

    Finding a Baltimore car accident lawyer can be tricky. Yet hiring the best lawyer can mean the difference between a successful outcome and settlement after your accident. A car accident lawyer in Baltimore specializes in representing victims of car accident. You know you need a car accident lawyer if you can answer these two questions as “YES”: I was injured in a car accident; and The accident the fault of someone else. If you answered yes to these two questions, then it is essential t...

     

    Posted by Randolph Rice, Jr 01/12/2018
  • Whiplash Injuries Can Cost You in Many Ways

    Whiplash, a common neck injury in automobile accidents, can cost victims, their employers, and the economy at large significant sums of money. A 1999 study found that whiplash injuries in the United States cost more than $8.5 billion each year. That number certainly is greater now. Even with such high costs and common occurrences, however, most people do not understand the injury very well. WHAT IS WHIPLASH? Whiplash is an injury to the neck caused by sudden, rapid back-and-fort...

     

    Posted by Randolph Rice, Jr 01/12/2018
  • SEMI TRUCK MERGING COLLISIONS AND THE DANGERS THEY POSE

    Collisions between a passenger vehicle and a semi-truck are often catastrophic. One of the most common semi-truck collisions are merging accidents. Semi-truck merging accidents occur frequently in the Chicago and surrounding areas as many large trucks travel through the area entering and exiting expressways to make their deliveries. A semi-truck merging accident occurs when a vehicle is attempting to merge and does not notice a vehicle in a parallel lane or fails to leave enough r...

     

    Posted by Gary Annes 01/11/2018
  • FACTORY WORKERS FACE SERIOUS RISKS OF WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS

             It is not uncommon for employees to become injured while on the job. An injury or illness is considered work-related if an event or exposure in the work place caused or contributed to the resulting condition or aggravated a pre-existing condition. Workers in the manufacturing industry, especially factory workers, are more likely than many others to experience a work injury. As of 2015, the State of Illinois had 568,500 manufacturing jobs. Many of these jobs...

     

    Posted by Gary Annes 01/11/2018
  • THE PROBLEM OF SELF-PLAGIARISM IN COLLEGE COURSES

    All college students should know that plagiarism is unacceptable, unethical, and likely grounds for discipline under their college or university’s code of conduct. But what happens if you plagiarize yourself in a paper? Can you be expelled for self-plagiarism? Believe it or not, the answer is Yes. We’ve represented students who faced serious consequences because they used their own work from one paper in another paper without citing it—sometimes even with a professor’s perm...

     

    Posted by Felice Duffy esq 01/08/2018
  • HAZING VIOLATIONS ARE BRINGING STIFFER PENALTIES

    Virtually all colleges and universities prohibit hazing, and most states make it a criminal offense. Nonetheless, fraternities, sororities, sports teams, and other student organizations continue to engage in conduct that may fall within the definition of hazing, often resulting in serious criminal penalties to the people involved. In addition, schools can impose serious sanctions against students who engage in hazing, including probation, changes to housing arrangements, loss of financial aid...

     

    Posted by Felice Duffy esq 01/08/2018
  • HOW COLLEGES DEFINE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT MAY SURPRISE YOU

    Recent changes to the Department of Education’s Title IX guidance have brought significant attention to the way colleges and universities handle sexual assault allegations. The Trump administration implemented the changes largely in response to Obama-era guidance that reinterpreted Title IX to allow the federal government to implement standards and procedures that schools that receive federal funding must use when investigating claims of student-on-student sexual misconduct. Scho...

     

    Posted by Felice Duffy esq 01/08/2018
  • Mistakes That You Must Avoid with Medicaid Planning

    Medicaid planning is very much important as you get older. It involves creating a plan to validate that you can qualify for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care. Without a plan, the money you have saved in your lifetime will be quickly spent down. There are strict guidelines to protect the reliability of a Medicaid system, so making mistakes in the process of Medicaid planning implies that you are not capable for qualifying for Medicaid benefits. So, you must be aware with the following ...

     

    Posted by W. Ryan Zenk 12/28/2017
  • DEFENDING AGAINST MARYLAND THEFT CHARGES

    In the state of Maryland, theft is generally defined as depriving a person of property without permission or consent. Under Maryland law, the crimes of larceny, larceny by trick, embezzlement, false pretenses, and shoplifting all fall under the umbrella of theft. If you have been charged with a theft crime in the state of Maryland, you should immediately seek out a seasoned criminal defense lawyer who can represent you throughout your case. The knowledgeable Maryland criminal defense...

     

    Posted by Andrew D. Alpert 12/21/2017
  • HAVE YOU BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT IN MARYLAND?

    Assaults are serious criminal charges in Maryland and elsewhere. Moreover, if you and the alleged assault victim live together under the same the roof, you could also be charged with domestic violence, which can carry additional penalties. Assault charges are fact-specific. If you have been charged with an assault crime in Maryland, time is of the essence, and you need experienced legal counsel on your side who can safeguard all of your legal and constitutional rights. The criminal defens...

     

    Posted by Andrew D. Alpert 12/21/2017
  • IF I’M ARRESTED FOR DUI IN MARYLAND, WILL I HAVE TO USE AN IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICE?

    Maryland has one of the most aggressive ignition interlock programs in the nation. The program began in 1989, and is fully automated and monitored by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Administration. Maryland has the sixth-largest number of ignition interlock systems installed, a staggering statistic given that Maryland ranks 19th in population. Since October 1, 2016, drivers are required to participate in Maryland’s Ignition Interlock Program for the foll...

     

    Posted by Andrew D. Alpert 12/21/2017