Maryland Jury Instructions and Their Role in Criminal Cases
September 23, 2025
Maryland juries do not guess at the law. Judges read the Maryland Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions, which explain legal standards like the presumption of innocence, reasonable doubt, how to weigh witness credibility, and how to consider scientific tests. The exact wording matters. A single instruction can shift how [...]
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How to Beat a Possession With Intent (PWID) Charge in Maryland
September 16, 2025
Beating a PWID case usually means breaking the State's proof at one or more choke-points: the stop or search, "possession," the science identifying the substance, or the leap from quantity to "intent to distribute." We also pressure-test any statements and so-called "distribution indicators" (packaging, scales, cash). If the [...]
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Sextortion Charges in Maryland: What to Know
September 10, 2025
Sextortion in Maryland covers using threats to force sexual activity or to coerce someone to appear in explicit images or videos. The State has to prove a qualifying threat and that the threat caused the act. Conviction can mean up to 10 years and a fine up [...]
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Maryland Extortion Charges: CR 3-701 to 3-706
September 10, 2025
Maryland treats blackmail as extortion. The State must prove you tried to get money, property, services or something of value by using a wrongful threat, and that the other person�s consent was caused by that threat. Some charges do not care whether the threat was true, others turn [...]
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Should I Take a Field Sobriety Test in Maryland?
September 3, 2025
In Maryland, you are not legally required to take field sobriety tests (FSTs) during a DUI stop. Refusing them will not result in license suspension, unlike breath test refusals. These tests are subjective, often unreliable, and frequently challenged in court. --- Field sobriety tests are roadside exercises police use [...]
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Maryland Recording Law For Real People: Third-Party Audio, Consent, and Sharing
August 27, 2025
Maryland's rule is simple to say and easy to trip over. For most private conversations, everyone must agree to the audio recording. The rule lives in Courts and Judicial Proceedings Section 10-402 and it also covers sharing or using an illegal recording. This page focuses on recordings by [...]
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Driving While Suspended in Maryland: Guide
August 19, 2025
Maryland Transportation Article Section 16-303 makes it a crime to drive while your license or driving privilege is refused, canceled, suspended, or revoked. Most subsections carry up to 1 year (first offense) and 2 years (certain subsequent) plus fines, but the "paperwork" variants Section 16-303(h) and Section [...]
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Maryland Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Guide
August 12, 2025
A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is a specially trained officer who follows a standardized 12-step process to evaluate suspected drug-impaired drivers. Their testimony can be influential in DUI drug prosecutions, but the process has inherent limitations that a skilled defense lawyer can exploit. --- A Drug Recognition Expert is a [...]
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Can You Get a DUI for Sleeping in Your Car in Maryland?
August 4, 2025
Yes, you can be charged with DUI in Maryland even if you're just sleeping in your parked car. It all comes down to whether you were in "actual physical control" of the vehicle. You've had a few drinks and decide to play it safe: you climb into the back [...]
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Can You Get a DUI on Private Property in Maryland?
August 1, 2025
Yes, you can be charged with a DUI even if you're on private property in Maryland. The law doesn't restrict DUI enforcement to public highways. If you're impaired and operating a vehicle you could face the same penalties as if you were on a public road. A common [...]
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