Depending on who you ask, you might hear a litany of theories on how many married couples seek a divorce. Some may claim that half of all marriages end in divorce, while others may say it is even higher. However, these estimates may not be as accurate as you may think. No couple sets out in a marriage with the intent of divorce, but there is an assumption that they are increasingly more common. If you need divorce advice, contact a Maryland divorce lawyer today. Here, we explore the national trends for divorce and how those trends compare to marriages in Maryland. 2023 Divorce Statistics Whil ..read more

Divorce takes a heavy toll on all parties involved. In addition to the mental and emotional tolls divorce proceedings can incur, there are heavy financial costs as well, both immediate and long-term. While hiring a Columbia, MD, divorce attorney incurs its own additional costs, the overall savings you can secure by hiring an attorney usually makes doing so quite cost-effective. For this reason, it is important to consider the overall costs of hiring a divorce attorney compared with the cost of foregoing a lawyer altogether. What Does a Divorce Attorney Do? When you seek or respond to a petitio ..read more

No one wants to imagine their marriage ending in divorce, but people and circumstances can change, and it’s sometimes in everybody’s interest to dissolve the partnership. If this happens, you might find it difficult to compromise about who gets what and understand who is entitled to what. Understanding your rights and your partner’s rights can help make your divorce smoother. How Does a Divorce Work in Maryland? The process of getting a divorce will vary depending on what state you are in. If you’re getting a divorce in Maryland, you should be aware of its unique process. You can get either a ..read more

It’s a tough decision to get a divorce, and the process is full of emotional struggles. How you and your spouse separate has a big effect on the cost of divorce. Separating with the help of an attorney can make divorce faster and less stressful, though it can also be expensive. Understanding what can make a divorce attorney cost more or less in Columbia, Maryland, can help determine what’s right for your divorce. What Influences the Cost of Divorce? The total average of divorce fees in Maryland is $11,000. This average cost includes attorney fees, court costs, and additional expert fees. Most ..read more

Maryland has two main trial courts: the state district court and the state circuit court. Other than trial courts, Maryland also has two types of appellate courts: the Appellate Court of Maryland and the Supreme Court of Maryland. Appellate courts handle appeals from the two trial courts. Howard County, Maryland, has one district courthouse and one circuit courthouse. It’s important to know what each court handles and how to reach them when you need support in Howard County. The Circuit Courthouse in Ellicott City, Howard County Howard County’s circuit courthouse is located at 9250 Judicial Wa ..read more

In Maryland, there are two types of trial courts: district court houses and circuit court houses. Appellate courts include the Supreme Court of Maryland and the Appellate Court of Maryland, and they only handle intermediate and high appeals to rulings made in trial courts. Anne Arundel County is home to two district courthouses and one circuit courthouse. The Circuit Courthouse in Anne Arundel County The circuit courthouse for Anne Arundel County is located at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis. This is in the historic district of downtown. Their hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday ..read more

So-called “Romeo and Juliet” laws exist in many parts of the United States to protect sexually active young people from undue criminal consequences for consensual relationships. These laws are named after the young protagonists from Shakespeare’s play of the same name. While this law’s bloody and tragic namesake may conjure up dark and dramatic images, these laws actually protect young people from unnecessary legal drama by creating a commonsense loophole for the age of consent and statutory rape laws. The Romeo and Juliet laws on the books in Maryland and other states protect consensual sex a ..read more

Assault and domestic violence are two separate legal concepts that are often associated with each other. While each term has a distinct legal definition independent of the other, the two often come up in the same cases together. To begin exploring and disentangling assault and domestic violence, it is necessary to define each term. While legal and cultural definitions will never match up precisely (especially with laws being different from state to state), each of these concepts can be defined in terms that are fairly simple and self-explanatory. Defining Assault and Domestic Violence Assault ..read more

It is important to know and exercise your rights as an American. One of your inalienable rights is equal and fair access to the legal system when you have been implicated in a crime. Another is the right to an attorney. Because of these rights, some people feel inclined to represent themselves in court or let “the system” handle it by assigning them a public defender, especially if the case seems to be an open-and-shut matter. Criminal cases of all sorts can quickly become complex, however, leaving you wishing you had retained the services of a quality Maryland criminal defense attorney. The f ..read more

Anyone can get arrested for sex crimes against minors. Believe it or not, even homeless people often have the resources to solicit sex from teens online. A homeless man was arrested on October 11 after soliciting sex from an undercover police officer who was posing as a teen. The 43-year-old man from Elkton was caught soliciting sex via the use of a smartphone app. The man now faces one charge of sexual solicitation of a minor and three counts of child pornography possession. Investigators become aware of the man’s activities after they were tipped off by another law enforcement agency. They w ..read more