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♥ Check out the following...
Law
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to link to the most accurate
and clearly expressed information possible. The links contained on this page are
created and maintained by other organizations and are provided as a public
service by Baltimore County Public Library. These materials are not to be
considered as a statement of Maryland law or as legal advice. No guarantee
or warranty is made regarding the information's appropriateness for a
particular purpose or individual circumstance. If you have a legal problem,
you should consult with an attorney.
Baltimore
County |
Maryland |
United States
 Laws exists in many forms. A list of just a
few: constitutional law, statutory law, decisions, regulations,
executive orders, and local laws and ordinances. A law is any public order
or decision that is binding upon those to whom it is addressed.
Statutes, also called acts or ordinances, are laws passed by a
legislative body, such as the United States Congress, Maryland General Assembly,
or Baltimore County Council. Legislatures have the power to make laws
because the state and federal constitutions give the
power to them. Codes are where laws are
published. They are arranged by subject. So similar laws on the same
topic are grouped together. Examples are the Baltimore
County Code, the United States Code, and the Maryland Code.
Regulations are laws issued by
executive branch agencies, such as the United States Social Security
Administration or Baltimore County Office of Planning. The agencies are
given the authority to make these laws because legislatures give it to
them by passing laws that say they have the authority.
Generally regulations provide the specifics on how a
statute is to be enforced and implemented.
Agencies can only make regulations on
subjects the authorizing statutes say they can. You need to read
regulations together with the authorizing laws they were made under. Regulations are published in subject
arrangements called codes, such as Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
or Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).
|
Baltimore County Codes and Regulations
♠
Codes are where laws made
by the County Council are grouped together by broad
topics.
Regulations are laws made
by executive branch departments, such as County Office
of Budget and Finance or County Office of Planning.
These agencies have the authority
to make regulations because laws passed by the County
Council or Maryland General Assembly gave the authority
to them.
|
 Baltimore County
The following codes and regulations are in effect in
Baltimore County:
-
Baltimore County Code
♠
The Baltimore County laws and the County Charter adopted by the County
Council are found in the County Code. It is updated regularly.
To stay up-to-date, be sure to review the
recently enacted legislation impacting
the County Charter and County Code.
-
Baltimore County Zoning Regulations
♠
Updated regularly.
Gives specifics on how the
County zoning law is to be implemented. The regulations can be very
detailed. To stay up-to-date, be sure
to review the
recently enacted
legislation impacting Baltimore County zoning
law.
-
Building and Fire Codes in Effect in Baltimore County [PDF]
♠
Lists current national and state codes with local amendments currently in effect in
Baltimore County. The national code books are available at most
Baltimore County Public Libraries.
The Baltimore County Building Code includes several national codes with amendments as stated in
County Council Bill
Number 49-07 [PDF].
The Baltimore County
Fire Prevention Code [PDF], also known as County Council Bill
Number 36-07, adopts several national fire codes with amendments as
stated in County Council Bill Number 36-07 and
County Council Bill Number 57-07 [PDF].
-
The Baltimore County Plumbing and Gasfitting Code uses the
national plumbing code with amendments as stated in
County
Council Bill Number 85-07 [PDF].
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Code of Baltimore County Regulations
♠
(COBAR) is a work in progress.
The county has
many other regulations that have not yet been drafted or added to COBAR.
-
Baltimore
County Council
♠
The elected body which has all law-making power granted by the County
Charter and by the General Assembly of Maryland.
-
Baltimore County
Department of Environmental
Protection and Resource Management
♠
Environmental and storm water management regulations and environmental
guidelines
-
Baltimore County
Department of Permits
and Development Management
♠
Frequently asked questions about code inspection and enforcement dealing
with development, building, electrical, plumbing, livability and zoning
codes. Monitors the
Rental Registration program. Miscellaneous
Permits provides dog licenses, gathering permits and dozens of other
items.
-
Rental Housing Registration Licenses
♠
by Baltimore County Department of Permits and Development Management.
All
buildings or a portion of a building that contain one to six
dwelling units intended or designated as rental units must be
registered, inspected by a certified home inspector, and licensed
with Baltimore County on or before January 1, 2009 (extended
deadline).
Information about the requirements for the property owner and
the home inspector. Download the Rental Housing Application and
payment forms, exemption affidavits and required inspection sheet.
Back to top
 Maryland
-
Code Lynx
♠
Provided
by the Maryland Codes Administration.
Maryland
building,
fire, and other codes information.
Maryland building,
fire and other codes information, including Maryland Building
Rehabilitation Code, Maryland Building Performance Standards (MBPS)
which is Maryland's law
on building codes and standards, Maryland Minimum Livability Code, and
Maryland Accessibility Code. Each local jurisdiction uses the same edition of the same
codes and may modify these codes to
suit local conditions.
-
Code of Maryland Regulations
(COMAR)
♠
Official regulations issued by Maryland executive branch agencies.
-
Maryland Register
♠
Proposed and
recently adopted regulations
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Constitution of Maryland
♠
Full-text of the state constitution
-
Depository Libraries
♠
Several Maryland libraries receive the documents included in the Code of
Maryland Regulations (COMAR).
-
Guide to Legal
Aspects of Doing Business in Maryland. 2003 [PDF]
♠
By Maryland Office of the Attorney General and Maryland Department of
Business and Economic Development. Not an exhaustive treatment of the legal obligations of Maryland
businesses. Focuses on those matters regulated by State agencies. Covers
state law impact on business organization, mergers, foreign business
operations in Maryland, securities, taxation, labor and employment,
agriculture business, natural resources, environmental law, consumer
protection, franchises, antitrust laws, and more.
-
Legislative Library and Information
Services ♠
provided by the
Maryland Department of Legislative Services. Answers questions by phone, e-mail, or face-to-face about
the Maryland General Assembly, the legislative process, legislation, and state government. Staff will mail a limited number of copies
of bills, amendments, votes, and most current year publications.
-
Maryland Code
♠
provided by Michie's Legal Resources. Word search or search by legal citation either the full text record of public, general and
permanent laws passed by the state of Maryland (the Maryland Code).
-
Maryland Department of Labor,
Licensing and Regulation
♠
Wage and employment standards
and law, occupational safety, occupational and safety licensing boards,
employment of minors, and more.
-
Maryland General Assembly
♠
History and status of bills,
full-text of bills, hearings schedules, and more as well as information on
the organization and members of the General Assembly
-
Maryland Residential Ground Rent Registration
♠
provided by Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation. A ground lease must be registered with the Department
before September
30, 2010 or the interest of the ground lease holder is extinguished and
the ground rent is no longer payable.
-
Maryland Sex
Offender Registry (SOR)
♠
maintained by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional
Services. List of registered sex offenders provided to protect children and others
from those with histories of crimes against children and other sexual
offenses.
Back to top
 United States
-
Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) Rules and regulations made by federal agencies and executive departments.
-
Federal Depository
Libraries from GPO Access.Locate a library and
federal publications and other information products available for
free public use in Federal depository libraries.
-
FedLaw
Easy access to
resources for people doing Federal legal research
-
GPO Access
From the United States Government Printing Office
Find
Code of Federal Regulations, federal depository libraries, the Federal Register, Presidential materials,
Congressional bills, the Congressional Record, recent or pending federal
legislation, or other documents from all three
branches of United States government.
-
Immigration Laws, Regulations and Guides
By the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, United States
Department of Homeland Security
-
Office of the Clerk United States House of Representatives House history, roll call votes, committee schedules, floor proceedings,
and more
-
Regulations.gov Find, review, and submit comments on Federal documents currently open for
public comment and published in the Federal Register.
-
THOMAS: Legislative Information on the
Internet
Library of Congress provides searchable information about the
United States Congress
and the legislative process. Search
for recent and pending bills by topic, bill number, title, or sponsor
as well as laws by public law or bill number since 1973. Search for the text of the
Congressional Record
since 1989. Find committee reports by topic or committee name.
-
United States Code Search by keyword or title and section in this consolidation and codification of the laws of the
United States by subject. The Code does not include regulations issued by
executive branch agencies, Federal court decisions, treaties, or laws
enacted by state or local governments.
-
Search
by title and section or browse the table of contents (list of titles)
or the Table of Popular Names for many laws. Additional search
features provided by Cornell University Legal Information Institute.
View the
video tutorial (4:03 minutes) on using the Cornell University Law
School's United States Code site
created by the Enoch Pratt Free Library/Maryland State Library
Resource Center.
-
United States
House of Representatives Home Page Official website. Find current debates on House floor, hearings, roll
call votes, and more.
-
United States Senate Home Page Official website. Track and research bills, votes, and more.
-
USA.gov Reference Center: Laws and Regulations
Links to federal laws and regulations, court records, executive
orders, and more
Back to top
 Consumer InfoCenter
♠
Provided by Baltimore County Public Library.
Information on many consumer
topics, legal and financial assistance, fraud and scams, filing
complaints
Back to top
Baltimore
County |
Maryland |
United States
 The Circuit Court for Baltimore County is the trial
court of general jurisdiction. The court has full common law and
equity powers in all civil, juvenile and criminal cases, along
with additional powers and jurisdiction conferred by the
Constitution and Maryland State law. It is the only court in the
county having the authority to conduct jury trials. The court is
physically located in the County Courts Building, 401 Bosley
Avenue in Towson, Maryland. This is sometimes referred to as the
"New Courthouse".
 The Maryland Judiciary is comprised of four court
levels: two trial courts and two appellate courts. The function
of a trial court is to consider evidence in a case and to make
judgments based on the facts and underlying law and legal
precedent. This may result in the awarding of monetary damages
or other relief in a civil case, or the imposition of
imprisonment or fines in a criminal case. Appellate courts
review a trial court's actions and decisions in given cases and
decide whether the trial judge properly followed the law and
legal precedent. For jury trials, the appellate court may have
to decide whether the jury's decision was proper, given the
facts presented and the underlying law in the case. Generally,
appellate courts do not decide which party won or lost a trial,
nor do they conduct a new trial. Rather, they review the earlier
trial and determine whether or not it was fair, according to the
law.
 While U.S Federal Courts are generally created by the
United States Congress under the constitutional power described
in Article III, many of the specialized courts are created under
the authority granted in Article I. Much greater power is vested
in Article III courts because these courts are much more
independent of Congress and the President. If Article I courts
were able to exercise that level of power, the balance of power
between the branches of government would be threatened.
Article III requires the establishment of a Supreme Court and
permits the Congress to create other federal courts, and place
limitations on their jurisdiction. In theory, Congress could
eliminate the entire federal judiciary except for a single
Supreme Court Justice (who would be the Chief Justice by
default), although the 1st Congress immediately established a
system of lower federal courts through the Judiciary Act of
1789.
Baltimore County
-
Baltimore County State’s Attorney
♠
Prosecutes the felony, misdemeanor and juvenile cases occurring in Baltimore County. This includes most
violations of the Criminal Code that occur in Baltimore County and all
traffic violations occurring in Baltimore County where the penalty
is incarceration.
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Baltimore County State's Attorney - District Court Division
♠
Prosecutes all misdemeanor criminal offenses, traffic offenses
punishable by jail and certain felonies such as theft over $500. There are
three District Court locations in Baltimore County - Catonsville, Towson
and Essex.
-
Circuit Court
for Baltimore County
♠
The trial court of general jurisdiction. The court has full common law
and equity powers in all civil, juvenile, and criminal cases. Covers jury
duty, family law resources, law library information and hours of
operation, general legal listings in the County.
-
Circuit Court Law Library
♠
Library is open to the public.
Includes publications on topics such as change of name, creating a will,
child support modification, and more. Also links to Internet legal resources
with focus on Maryland law.
-
Circuit Court
Legal Forms
♠
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Daily Docket
♠
All scheduled events for civil, criminal and
domestic cases. It is updated between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day for
the next day's docket.
-
Frequently Asked Questions
♠
How to obtain a marriage license, become a notary, who to call about
land records (deeds) or licenses, and more
-
District Courts
in Baltimore County
♠
Jurisdiction of court includes all landlord-tenant cases, replevin
actions, motor vehicle violations, misdemeanors and certain felonies. Some
legal
forms are available online in their Forms Index.
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Get Ready
for Your Day in Court
♠
by Maryland's Eastern Shore Regional Library
Make informed decisions about
the need for legal representation in District Court civil cases. This
Guide is not just for Eastern Shore residents. It will help you
understand the Maryland legal system, how to represent yourself
effectively, and when (and how) to contact a lawyer.
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Jury Duty
♠
What you need to know before you serve
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Orphans' Court of Baltimore County
♠
Specializes in
cases involving disputes about wills and or codicils, the administration
of estates, guardianships over property left to minors and protection of
minors’ assets
-
Register of Wills,
Baltimore County ♠
Includes
forms
and valuable information for administering a decedent's estate
-
Small
Claims
♠
Explains how to file a small
claim in the District Court of Maryland
Back to top
Maryland
-
Court Records
♠
from Maryland Judiciary.
Provides public access to case
information originating within the Maryland District Court system and
the Circuit Courts. Maryland District Court traffic, criminal, and civil
cases and Maryland Circuit Court criminal and civil cases, judgments and
liens are available. The amount of historical data may vary by
jurisdiction. This information included defendant name, city and state,
case number, date of birth, plaintiff name (civil cases only), trial
date, charge, and case disposition.
-
Maryland Judiciary Case Search (MDJCS)
♠
Information is available on all civil, traffic, and criminal cases in
the state. This information includes defendant name, city and state,
case number, date of birth, plaintiff name (civil cases only), trial
date, charge, and case disposition.
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Maryland Judiciary
♠
Overview of Court of Appeals,
Court of Special Appeals, Circuit Courts, District Courts. Searchable
index of
court
opinions,
family law and court forms, legal resources, and more.
-
Maryland Rules of
Procedure
♠
Provided by Michie's Legal Resources. Also called
Maryland Court Rules. Lays out the procedures for
conducting the business of the Maryland courts. For example, the
procedures to follow to serve a legal complaint on a person you want to
sue, sets the deadlines and procedures for you to respond to a suit
against you, or set limits on evidence a court may consider. Limited
number of court forms included in Appendix.
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United States Bankruptcy Court
for the District of Maryland
♠
Federal courts have exclusive
jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. Download
Official Bankruptcy Forms. Provides general information about filing
a Bankruptcy case.
Back to top
United States
-
Federal
Judicial Branch by USA.gov .Links to website of Supreme Court and other federal courts
-
Inside the Federal
Courts
by the Federal Judicial Center
What the courts do, how they are organized, who does what, how cases
move through the courts, and more.
-
Supreme Court Collection
from the Legal Information Institute,
Cornell Law School
An archive of
some Supreme Court historic decisions as well as cases from
1990-present. Find decisions by topic.
-
Supreme Court
Opinions
by FindLaw.com
Contains Supreme Court cases
dating from 1893. Searchable by case name, volume number, and year. Most opinions begin in 1990.
-
United States
Constitution with Cases Decided by the Supreme Court to June 29, 1992
by FindLaw.com
Full-text of Constitution followed by how the Supreme Court may have
interpreted the specific articles or amendments of the Constitution.
-
United States Courts: The Federal Judiciary
Links to the federal courts, educational information to understand the
courts, how to access court records,
forms, and more
Select FAQs for juror information and information about filing a case.
Back to top
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Adoption in Maryland
♠
by Social Services Administration of Maryland Department of Human Resources
Learn about adoption in Maryland and services to adult adoptees and birth
parents who want to reconnect with their blood ties. Includes information
about
Mutual Consent
Voluntary Adoption Registry and Adoption Search Services and
adoption records.
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Baltimore County Circuit Court - Family Division
♠
Law forms, divorce education program, mediation, family support services,
family law resources.
The
Pro Se Family Law Program is staffed by experienced Family Law attorneys
who will assist parties in filling-out Family Law forms in Family Division
cases.
-
DivorceNet -
Maryland
♠
Interactive bulletin boards, local counsel, local mediation, legal forms,
paternity testing, family law articles, and more
-
Family Law Resources in Baltimore County
♠
created by the Circuit Court for Baltimore County
Lists organizations available to available to assist parents with children
facing a separation and divorce, to address child support, family support,
domestic violence and other concerns
-
House of Ruth Legal Clinic
♠
Provides counseling and direct representation to battered spouses in civil
protection order proceedings and divorce and child custody cases. Information
explaining Protective Orders and Peace Orders on website.
-
Kaufman Center for Family Law
♠
a project of The Women's Law Center of
Maryland, Inc.
Offers many services for Marylanders including the Family Law Hotline, a
free telephone service for those with basic family law questions. The Legal Forms
Helpline for those who are able to file their family law cases pro se, because their cases are
uncomplicated and uncontested but who may need some assistance
understanding the process or completing forms and pleadings. The
Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project offers free
representation for victims of domestic violence at protection order hearings
in Baltimore City and Baltimore County Circuit Courts.
-
Maryland Child Support Enforcement Program
♠
Child support enforcement forms in PDF format: application for child support
services, income/expense questionnaire, affidavit of parentage, Maryland new
hire reporting
-
Maryland Family Law Forms
♠
Includes domestic relations forms for individuals who do not have a
lawyer and need to file papers in one of the following areas: divorce,
custody, visitation, child support, alimony, name changes, or contempt.
Also includes a brochure explaining Domestic Violence Protection
Orders, a Petition for Protection from Domestic Violence, and Addendum.
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Maryland Legal Services Program (MLSP)
♠
Created for the purpose of ensuring quality and effective legal representation
in the State's Circuit Court to children and indigent adults, in which either
the local Department of Social Services or the Office of Aging is a party to
the case.
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Peoples Law Library of
Maryland – Family Law
♠
Excellent overviews of divorce, custody, child support, visitation, name
change, marriage, cohabitation and other family law matters. Includes forms.
-
Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.
♠
Experienced family law attorneys staff the
Family Law Hotline to provide
free advice and counsel to callers. The Law Center addresses the concerns for
the legal rights of women and children, especially in the area of family law
and in the workplace. Has links to publications (English and Spanish) on topics of
Domestic Violence, Legal Rights of Marriage and Divorce in Maryland, Legal
Rights of Unmarried Cohabitants, and Sex Discrimination in Employment.
Back to top
|
 Don't
worry if the library's closed...
You can still "checkout" the following law books by
reading them online! Just click the links below
and have your library card handy if you are reading it
from home.
Gale
Encyclopedia of Everyday Law.
Jeffrey
Wilson, editor 2nd edition. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 1552
pages. 2 volumes
West's Encyclopedia of American Law.
Jeffrey Lehman and Shirelle
Phelps, Editors. 2nd edition.
Detroit: Gale, 2005.
6448 pages. 13 volumes.
Updates:
American Law Yearbook 2005. Laurie J. Fundukian
and Jeffrey Wilson, eds. Detroit: Gale, 2006
American Law Yearbook 2006 Detroit: Gale, 2007
American Law Yearbook 2007 Detroit: Gale, 2008
World of Forensic Science
K. Lee Lerner
and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, editors. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 812 pages.
2 volumes.
|
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Baltimore County Circuit Court Law Library
♠
Open to the public; extensive collection of law materials, including
Baltimore County codes, regulations. Links to
selected legal resources
on the Internet, with particular focus on Maryland and Federal resources.
Also
Resource Guides to the Circuit Court Law Library resources on topics
such as Landlord and Tenant, Changing Your Name, How to Interpret Legal
Citations, How to Research a Legal Problem for a Non-Lawyer. The Guides are
useful tools for legal research in the public library as well.
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Emory University School of Law
Ready Reference
Offers research guides on variety of topics, for example, entertainment law,
computer and internet law, and more
-
FedLaw
For Federal legal research. Primarily covers Federal laws, rules, and regulations and Federal judicial decisions; some state laws; arbitration
and mediation; general research and reference sources; professional
associations; and legal-related how-to locations.
-
FindLaw
Learn about many
legal issues that impact individuals, such as employee rights, immigration,
or traffic violations. Special content for the
small business owner. Site
provides videos and legal forms, both free and for purchase. Offers a
separate site for
legal professionals.
-
Getting Started in Legal Research: A Guide for the Average Joe or Jill
by Social Sciences and Humanities Department of Enoch Pratt Free Library,
Baltimore Maryland
Excellent guide to tackling your legal problem and understanding the law.
Not all titles are available in Baltimore County Public Library, but they are available
for use by County Residents at the
Enoch Pratt Free
Library in Baltimore City.
-
Internet Law Library
by LawGuru.com
Provided links to a large number of legal resources relating to American
(federal and state) and foreign laws
-
Law Library of Congress
The world's largest collection of law books and legal resources about United
States federal and state law, foreign law, international law, and
comparative law and legislation in the world. Provides research assistance to the public.
-
Legal Information Institute
by Cornell Law School
Great place to begin your legal research.
-
Maryland State Bar Association
♠
Easy-to-read guides about common legal problems and topics, e.g.
guardianship, being a witness, divorce and separation, traffic tickets, your
rights if arrested, and more.
-
Maryland State Law Library
♠
Legal research facility for government and public.
-
Nolo Law for All
While primarily a publisher of books, software and forms, Nolo provides
reputable links to free information including a legal dictionary and legal encyclopedia written for the consumer on topics like neighbor and pet law, independent contractors, marriage, divorce, landlords and
tenants, copyright and trademarks, small business, parents and children,
tax problems, wills and estate planning.
-
Peoples Law Library of
Maryland ♠
First stop for legal and self-help information on Maryland and federal law
affecting low and moderate income persons and their families, including
tenant rights, traffic and motor vehicle law, job discrimination, family
law, consumer, disabilities, domestic violence, elder,
foreclosure resources, small claims, welfare
benefits, immigration, and more.
-
Thurgood Marshall Law Library
♠
of the University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
Check out the free electronic resources and the research guides on
environmental law, health law, federal law, intellectual property law,
Maryland law, and international and foreign law.
Open to the public.
-
Understand
Your Legal Issues
by Lawyers.com
A good place to start
to better understand your legal issue. Covers
most areas of law, including bankruptcy and foreclosure, family law,
criminal law, real estate and landlord tenant law, immigration, and more.
-
University of Baltimore Law Library
♠
Links to the school law library and online resources.
Open to the
public.
-
Virtual Chase
Guides on how to do legal research from the law firm, Ballard Spahr Andrews and Ingersoll, LLP.
-
WashLaw
by Washburn University School of Law
Your guide to legal information on the Internet.
Back to top
-
Alternative Directions,
Inc. ♠
A statewide organization dedicated to
helping male and female prisoners, ex-prisoners and others in need to
represent themselves in uncontested family legal matters, particularly
in matters involving temporary guardianship, divorce, or child support.
Assists
families separated due to incarceration to deal with domestic relations,
housing and other issues. Provides educational seminars in prisons and
jails and refers cases to pro bono counsel.
-
Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland
♠
How to file a complaint against an attorney. Provides a link to a
list of
disciplinary actions taken, listed by
county and attorney's name.
-
Attorney
Listing
♠
by the Client Protection Fund of the Bar of Maryland
Listing of attorneys admitted to practice in Maryland, their addresses,
telephone numbers, and year admitted to practice.
-
Avoiding
Foreclosure: BCPL Can Help
♠
created by Baltimore County Public Library Information Services
Department and Media Support Services Department
This page presents video clips and links to resources on a variety of
topics, including foreclose, to help in these tough economic times. The
clips are available for immediate viewing or for download to your
computer or portable device.
-
Baltimore County Bar Association
♠
Includes information on fee arbitration and services offered to county
residents who wish to represent themselves.
-
Baltimore County Bar Association's
Lawyer Referral Service ♠
A
non-profit public service project that matches qualified lawyers to
clients with specific needs. Nominal consultation fee. Maintains panel
of attorneys with experience in specific areas of the law.
-
Baltimore County Human Relations Commission
♠
Investigates complaints
of discrimination in the
areas of employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and
financing. Respond to hate bias incidents. Mediates community disputes.
-
Baltimore County Legal Services for Senior Citizens Program
♠
offered by the Baltimore County Department of Aging. Provides free legal assistance, consultation and/or representation to
Baltimore County residents age 60 or over. The program has no income or resource
eligibility requirements. The program offers assistance with legal
problems involving: Social Security benefits; Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) benefits; Medical Assistance benefits (including Medical
Assistance Long Term Care benefits); Medicare; food stamps; evictions;
and other legal problems that threaten a person's income, health or
safety. The program cannot handle wills, deed changes, estate planning,
power of attorney, criminal charges, personal injury cases, traffic
tickets and disputes with neighbors. In some instances, callers may be
referred to other sources for free or reduced-fee legal help.
-
Family Law
♠
Help with concerns about adoption,
separation and divorce, child support, family support, domestic violence
and other concerns.
-
Foreclosure Resources for Marylanders
♠
presented by Maryland's Peoples Law Library
These resources will help you better understand foreclosures and how you
can avoid them. Explains the
foreclosure
process and what to do if facing foreclosure.
-
Homeless Persons Representation Project
♠
Provides legal services and advocacy on behalf of the homeless and those
at risk of homelessness
-
House of Ruth
♠
Provides counseling and direct representation to battered spouses in
civil protection order proceedings and divorce and child custody cases.
Information on Protective Orders and Peace Orders on website.
-
How do I find Legal Help in Maryland?
♠
by Peoples Law Library of Maryland
Offers tips on finding help and links to resources for free, low-cost
legal
help as well as help for anyone seeking legal assistance. Including
specialty law fields such as elder law, family law, consumer law,
immigration law, and others.
-
Immigration Legal Assistance
in Maryland ♠
The Maryland Office for New Americans offers a range of adjustment
services including English language translation, employment services,
health screening and medical assistance and housing services.
-
Law Firms
in the Martindale Directory
Browse by areas of practice or geographic location.
-
Lawyer Directory
by FindLaw.com
Search for lawyer by city, state, zip code, or by legal issue.
-
Lawyer Locator
in the Martindale Directory
Attorney directory searchable by name, law firm, location, and areas of
practice.
-
Lawyer Referral: Bar
Association of Baltimore City
♠
The
Bar Association of Baltimore City does not review the work of
their attorney members but can find you the name of attorneys interested
in your type of case. Not all attorneys licensed to practice in the
state belong to a bar association while some attorneys belong to several
bar associations.
-
Lawyer Search
Directory from LexisNexis
Search for a lawyer or law firm by name, practice area or location.
Also, provides information for individuals and small businesses on
choosing and evaluating a lawyer and finding out about many legal
issues.
-
Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.
♠
Provides free civil legal services in Maryland for low-income people
meeting eligibility guidelines
-
Maryland Attorney General
♠
Gives assistance to the public on consumer protection, protect Maryland
investors from investment fraud and misrepresentation, securities
and franchises, Health Care Decision Act, victim assistance, and more
-
Maryland Crime Victims'
Resource Center, Inc.
♠
Information about victim's legal rights, provides
comfort, support, and
assistance to crime victims and their families throughout the criminal
justice process and civil action
-
Maryland Disability Law Center
♠
Provides services to persons with disabilities, including information
and referrals about many different legal topics, investigations of
complaints that persons with disabilities are abused, neglected, or
mistreated, legal representation, and more
-
Maryland Office of the Public Defender
♠
Provides legal representation to accused indigent citizens of Maryland.
The assistance of the Public Defenders Office is for jailable offenses
only. You must meet the Federal Poverty Guidelines to be assisted by a
Public Defender (unless you can show good cause).
-
Maryland State Bar
Association Member Directory
♠
-
Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Services
♠
Matches professional lawyers with people who need legal help in
the areas of family law, bankruptcy, consumer, tort defense, wills,
guardianship, landlord-tenant, deed change, name change, tax disputes and tax returns. Clients must meet income eligibility requirements. MVLS
cannot handle criminal, DWI, class action, fee generating (e.g., SSI,
SSDI, discrimination, harassment, workers' Comp.), child or spousal
abuse, paternity, child support, or contempt cases.
-
Registers of Wills in Maryland
♠
Find contact information for registers of wills throughout Maryland
and information on appointing
personal representatives to administer decedents' estates and for overseeing
the proper and timely administration of estates.
-
Sixty Plus Program
♠
Matches a moderate income person age 60 and older with an attorney in
private practice who will handle certain types of cases for a
low
fee. The first meeting with the attorney is free.
-
Tenant-Landlord Hotline
♠
by Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc.
Counselors provide information to callers but not legal advice. Free
intro packets to tenants and landlords which answer commonly asked
questions, such as, security deposits, evictions, rent court,
maintenance, and proper notice. Also provides information on
anti-discrimination laws pertaining to the
sale or rental of housing.
-
Victim Services
♠
by Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
Provides comprehensive services to the victims of crime.
Assistance includes information on the release dates of offenders, the
whereabouts of released offenders, and help in navigating the criminal
justice process. The Department provides financial assistance through
the
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to the victims of crime who
have suffered physical injury or dependents of homicide victims.
-
Women's Law Center of Maryland, Inc.
♠
Experienced family law attorneys staff the
Family Law Hotline to
provide free advice and counsel to callers. The Law Center addresses the
concerns for the legal rights of women and children, especially in the
area of family law and in the workplace. Has links to publications
(English and Spanish) on topics of Domestic Violence, Legal Rights of
Marriage and Divorce in Maryland, Legal Rights of Unmarried Cohabitants,
and Sex Discrimination in Employment.
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Advanced Directive
and Living Will Forms ♠
Maryland law tries to help people who want to plan for medical
situations when they might not be able to speak for themselves.
-
Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else: A Maryland Handbook.
2006 [PDF] ♠
by American Bar Association and Maryland Office of the Attorney
General
When someone close to you is seriously ill and can’t make health care
decisions, a doctor might ask you “What should we do next?” This
happens when someone has named you to make medical decisions for them
in a legal document called an advance directive. Some people call this
a durable power of attorney for health care. It could also happen
because you are a relative or close friend of the patient—or sometimes
because a court gave you the responsibility.
-
Baltimore
County Licenses and Permits Forms
♠
Access to online forms and information for many licenses and permits issued
by
Baltimore County.
-
Bankruptcy Forms Manual
♠
by United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland
Official bankruptcy forms and instructions
-
Certificate of Birth, Death, Fetal Death, and Marriage and Verification of
Divorce
♠
Division of Vital Records of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene
Issues certified copies of recent birth, death, fetal death, and marriage
certificates for events that occur in Maryland. The Division also provides
divorce verifications. For older records, the
Maryland
State Archives
maintains
many records that are invaluable for biographical and genealogical research.
These include birth records, adoption records, marriage records, divorce
records, and death records, and some indices to these records.
-
Circuit
Court of Maryland Forms
♠
Civil case information forms, family law forms, land record intake sheet,
expungement of record and more
-
District Court of Maryland Forms
♠
Includes Renewal of Request for Summons, Notice to Renew Judgment, Order of
Satisfaction, Civil Appeal/Request for Transcript, Purchase Orders for Civil
Forms, expungement of
record, and all Peace
and Protective Order forms, and more
-
'Lectric Law Library's Business
and General Forms
Dealing with subjects like real estate, corporations, employment,
contracts, trusts and wills.
-
Family Law
Forms ♠
Includes domestic relations forms for Marylanders who do not have a
lawyer and need to file papers in one of the following areas: divorce,
custody, visitation, child support, alimony, name changes, or contempt.
Also includes a brochure explaining Domestic Violence Protection
Orders, a Petition for Protection from Domestic Violence, and Addendum.
-
Federal Forms
by Forms.gov
Has many, but not all, of the forms issued by Federal agencies
-
Immigration Forms
from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Citizenship information, services and benefits and forms for visiting the
United States temporarily, employment authorization, seeking citizenship.
Also,
A Guide to
Naturalization [PDF]
-
Internet Legal Resource Guide's
Legal Forms
Forms covering basic agreements, buying and selling, credit and collection,
employment, leases, loans, assignments, personal and family, and divorce
-
Legal Forms Helpline
♠
a project of The Women's Law Center of Maryland,
Inc
The Legal Forms Helpline is for Marylanders who are able to file their family law cases pro se, because their
cases are uncomplicated and uncontested but who may need some assistance
understanding the process or completing forms and pleadings
-
Maryland Attorney
General Publications and Forms ♠
Forms for general consumer complaints, new car and auto repair complaints,
new home complaints, securities forms, home builder registration, health
clubs, public information and open meetings, and more
-
Maryland
Business Charters and Articles of Incorporation
♠
by Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Anyone wishing to legally form a business does so through the Corporate
Charter Division. Such businesses include corporations, limited liability
companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and
business trusts. Out-of-state entities doing business in Maryland also must
register with the Division.
-
Register of Wills for Baltimore County
♠
For
forms
and
publications and information on wills, living trusts, estate taxes,
advance directives, and administering estates throughout Maryland
-
Small Business Forms and Contracts
from FindLaw
Samples of many popular forms and contracts to help small business owners
with many aspects of business operation -- including business startup,
employing workers, copyright, patents and trademarks, tips for writing
contracts, and more. Search by industry or subject.
-
Unemployment Insurance in Maryland
♠
by Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
For both the employer and unemployed claimant
-
United States Copyright Office
All the basics on copyright and registration of literary works, visual and
performing arts, sound recordings, and more. Find
application forms for
copyright registration.
-
United States Patent and Trademark
Office
Patents protect inventions, and improvements to existing inventions.
Trademarks and service marks include any word, name, symbol, or device, or
any combination used in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods or
services of one manufacturer or seller or provider from goods manufactured
or sold or services provided by others, and to indicate the source of the
goods or services. Includes basics on getting a
patent
or a
trademark and
how to search for a patent or trademark.
-
WashLaw's Legal Forms
from Washburn University School of Law
Links to collections of legal forms, some charge for forms but many include
free forms.
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Government InfoCenter
♠
by Baltimore County Public Library
Links to Baltimore County, Maryland
and United States government agencies. Has information on meetings and
events, community development,
planning and zoning in Baltimore County. Lists current government officials
and assists in determining the federal, state and local representative for
your election district. Links to state and federal tax forms and property
assessment information. Covers elections and voting.
-
Law
from the Internet Public Library
Alphabetical list of links with description. Some sites are suitable
for layperson, some for lawyers.
-
Law Topics
from the Librarians' Internet Index
Arranged by subject
-
Sailor: Maryland Legal Resources
♠
Regional law sites, courts, codes, statutes and regulations, law schools,
legal community
-
State Law and Government Pages
by Emory Law School
Links to state resources, courts and court decisions, bar associations, law
schools, and more
-
State Law – State Government and Legislative Information
Provides links to state laws, state courts and legislatures
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