In a criminal trial, the difference between an acquittal and a conviction may often come down to which witnesses the jury finds more believable. To that end, one of the biggest keys to a successful defense is having a cross-examination that will effectively impeach (in other words, diminish or destroy)…
Current circumstances are supremely challenging for immigrants who are in this country without documentation. The government’s detention and removal efforts have impacted many. One crucial fact to keep in mind is that, even if you are an undocumented immigrant, you still have rights under the Constitution, including Due Process Rights.…
The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects accused people from being forced to give testimony that could tend to incriminate them. In Maryland, defendants have even greater protection under Article 22 of the Declaration of Rights. Under state law, any prosecutorial comment that implies to jurors that they should…
Anyone who files their federal income tax return on the last available day understands that being “on time” in that context means different things in different years, depending on what day of the week April 15th falls on. Some immigrants may face similar concerns when it comes to filing certain…
The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees many rights to criminal defendants, including a speedy and public trial. Maryland’s Declaration of Rights also guarantees a speedy trial, and state law has specific procedural safeguards in place to ensure an accused person receives a speedy trial. When the state fails…
As a part of its overall set of immigration policies, the Trump Administration has sought the termination of temporary protected status (TPS) for immigrants from several countries. Earlier today, a federal court in California issued an order stopping that termination… for now. Immigrants from the affected countries should be aware…
A 2022 front-yard fight in Baltimore left one man dead and another on trial for murder. The ensuing case and appeal have broken important new ground in Maryland law, clearly recognizing for the first time that a substantial battery on a close relative may constitute the sort of necessary provocation…
Immigration law, particularly that subset dealing with deportation, is a complex area that involves numerous procedural steps, filing requirements, supplemental documentation, and deadlines. Coming up short in any area may be fatal to your case and lead to your deportation, so the stakes are extraordinarily high. To ensure you receive…
Sometimes, the key to a successful acquittal (or, in some matters, a successful reversal of a conviction) may have nothing to do with the facts of your case or the law of the crime charged. Your assault case may come down to things wholly unrelated to who struck whom with…
Investor immigrants have, for many decades, had one primary pathway to permanent residency — the EB-5 visa. Recent statements from the Trump Administration indicate that this may change soon. The creation of new visas could mean new options and a need to adjust how one pursues permanent residency. If you…