Going to Court without a Lawyer? There is Help.
Millions of Americans each year wind up in civil court without a lawyer. Studies reveal that between 40 and 90 percent of litigants end up representing themselves, without assistance from an attorney, in civil matters such as eviction defense, divorce and creditor claims.
Those representing themselves – also known as pro se litigants – can find support and information online. One resource is LawHelp (www.LawHelp.org), a free site that provides information from nonprofit legal services providers about a variety of issues as well as information about going to court, including how to get find help at the courthouse and commonly used court forms (for example, a petition for child support). In some states, certain legal forms can be filled out using an interactive system known as National Online Document Assembly, accessible through the LawHelp site. The user is guided through a series of questions, and the system uses the answers to fill out the documents completely and correctly.
LawHelp also provides online referrals to local legal aid organizations, for those seeking help from a lawyer before going to court.
Another good resource is the Self-Help Law ExPress site, also known as “SHLEP,” which can be found at http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/shlep. The SHLEP site contains information and links on a variety of topics of interest to pro se litigants, from Antitrust Law to Wills, as well as a section entitled, “Should You Go It Alone?”
The American Bar Association (ABA) also provides some information on the “Helping Yourself” section of its Consumers’ Guide to Legal Help at http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/findlegalhelp/faq_selfhelp.
Finally, your local court or law library may have useful information on its website. For example, New York has a site called CourtHelp, at http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courthelp, with information and resources for those going to court. The California Courts, similarly, have a range of self-help resources available at http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp, and California county law libraries offer http://www.publiclawlibrary.org. The National Center for State Courts maintains a list of Self-Help Information Resources and Centers by state at http://www.ncsconline.org/wc/CourTopics/statelinks.asp?id=108&topic=ProSe.
Arrested with marijuana in Baltimore
Did you know that possession of any amount of marijuana in Baltimore is considered a misdemeanor and can put you in jail for one year with a fine of $1,000.00? If the authorities determine that you were going to attempt to sell or cultivate the marijuana, then that same marijuana could result in a felony charge with minimum 5 years in jail with a minimum $15,000 fine. The fines and jail times go up from there and are increased by amount of substance you have, whether it is a first or second (or subsequent) offense, and nearness to a school zone.
Transport of marijuana into the state of Maryland is also subject to aggressive prosecution. If you are convicted of transporting five to forty-five kilograms of marijuana into the state you can face up to ten years in prison and a $10,000 fine while forty-five kilograms or more could cause you to face up to twenty-five years in prison with up to a $50,000 fine. With any of these charges, for a second or further conviction a person can receive a sentence which is double his or her first sentence.
Paraphernalia either for use, sale or even just in your possession is considered a misdemeanor and although there is no jail time for a first offense, there is a fine of $500.00. A second or further offense can get you two years in jail and a $2,000.00 fine.
Maryland passed legislation in 2003 which allows a defendant to claim his or her marijuana use to be for medical purposes. If the defendant’s medical use of marijuana claim is accepted by the court or judge, the maximum penalty that the defendant can face would be a $100.00 fine.
If you are arrested on a marijuana charge the first thing you should do is hire a lawyer. Granted, lawyers are expensive but if you compare the cost of a lawyer to the cost of a fine plus the cost of a guilty verdict there is no comparison. If you are found guilty at trial, it will be on your record which can increase the costs and penalties of any future convictions, cause you to be denied loans for and/or denial to educational programs and make it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain jobs in some fields. These are just a few things that a marijuana conviction can cause and there are many more. If you are arrested on a marijuana charge, the last thing you should be worried about is the cost of the lawyer that will be hard on you for a little while because the cost of a conviction will be hard on you for the rest of your life.
Baltimore DUI Lawyer
When an individual is facing a criminal charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), finding a Baltimore DUI lawyer familiar with the DUI laws in the State of Maryland will be crucial. A DUI lawyer can provide the expert legal representation needed to protect the individual’s rights and reputation. It will be imperative to find an attorney with a proven track record of success in negotiating or litigating DUI cases. Individuals may search the web or the yellow pages to find a DUI lawyer in Baltimore. Furthermore, individuals may contact lawyer referral services in Baltimore, such as the Baltimore County Bar Association or the Baltimore City Lawyer Referral and Information Service.
Penalties for DUI can include jail time, loss of driver’s license, and fines. Additionally, individuals charged with a DUI may face increased insurance rates and possible loss of employment. Because the penalties for DUI can be severe, and individual charged with a DUI will need the best legal representation possible. Maryland DUI laws can be complex, and most individuals need someone well-versed in DUI law to help them understand their charges. Individuals facing this type of situation need to understand what to expect as a result of the charges being levied against them and how to cooperate with the police without compromising their rights.
It is very important that individuals understand their rights and the protections afforded them by the law. The arresting officer may not take time to fully explain all the rights an individual has under the law; therefore, the individual may unknowingly relinquish his or her rights. For example, individuals are not required to submit to field sobriety tests in the State of Maryland. Moreover, individuals have the right to contact an attorney prior to submitting to a breath test or blood alcohol test. Knowing these rights, as well as any other rights in regard to Maryland DUI laws, can help individuals better protect themselves from and provide a better defense to DUI charges.
LawHelp.org Offers Broad Range of Tax Help
The national LawHelp.org network of consumer legal information portals offers a range of useful resources for those struggling with their taxes as April 15th approaches.
Resources accessible from LawHelp.org include information, written for the layperson, about both state and federal taxes, including specialized fact sheets for those facing a variety of special circumstances; information about rebates and tax credits, including the earned income tax credit; links to sites offering free tax filing; referrals to organizations that offer free or low-cost help; and more.
In certain states, the LawHelp site includes a link to a free electronic filing system known as I-CAN! E-File. I-CAN! E-File, which was developed by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County with funding from the Legal Services Corporation, can be used to file federal returns as well as state tax returns in California, Michigan, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania.
LawHelp.org provides referrals to local legal aid and public interest law offices, basic information about legal rights, self-help information, court information, links to social service agencies, and more. This site was developed by Pro Bono Net, a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York that works to increase access to justice, in partnership with legal aid organizations around the country.
“With many families under significant pressure due to the economy, it’s imperative that low-income workers obtain all due benefits,” said Mark O’Brien, Executive Director of Pro Bono Net. “LawHelp facilitates this by making a range of tax information and tools easily available on one user-friendly site.”
To find tax help in your state, visit www.lawhelp.org. For more information on Pro Bono Net, visit www.probono.net.
Baltimore Law Schools
The two Baltimore-area law schools are the University of Baltimore School of Law (UB Law), and the University of Maryland School of Law. Both are located in the heart of central Baltimore, minutes from the harbor area and the vibrant arts life of the city.
The University of Baltimore School of Law (law.ubalt.edu) is an ABA approved school with the sixth largest enrollment in the country. The law school was established in 1925, and is one of the 13 institutions that make up the University System of Maryland. The law school is accredited by the ABA and the AALS. The class of 2009 numbers approximately 311 students. The school is noted for its commitment to traditional values of “community involvement, public interest, access and diversity.” The Baltimore School of Law is ABA approved, and is considered a Tier 3 school. The famous statue of Edgar Allen Poe is housed on its campus. However it was not given a ranking in the latest 2009 US World and News Report list of universities. It is located in the heart of the Baltimore Mount Vernon Arts District.
The University of Maryland School of Law (www.law.umaryland.edu) was ranked 42nd of all Tier 1 schools evaluated in the 2009 US World and News Report rankings. The law school was established in Baltimore in 1816, and is therefore considered one the nation’s oldest law schools. It is fully accredited by the ABA, the AALS, and has a chapter of the Order of the Coif. University of Maryland School of Law fosters a strong commitment to public service, and many of its students have moved on to careers in that field. The law school boasts a 12:1 student to faculty ration, a majority of female students in its student body, and 34% minority representation. The School of Law located in Baltimore is housed in a new, state-of-the-art facility.
