Articles Posted in Current events

by

We have noticed lately what seems like an extraordinary number of referrals to the MAB.

When anyone suspects that a driver may have a physical or mental condition that would affect their ability to drive, he or she may refer that person to the Medical Advisory Board (MAB) of the MVA.[1]  Initially, the referral goes to the Division of Driver Wellness & Safety (DW&S).[2]  DW&S sends the person a series of questionnaires that must be completed and returned as well as consent forms for the driver to allow the MVA to obtain reports from the driver’s physician and relevant treatment programs, detailing the condition, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and any medications they have been prescribed. 

After receiving the information, DW&S may take a number of actions.  Parameters are set forth in COMAR § 11.17.03.04 for how to respond to specified medical conditions to guide the MVA’s determination.  DW&S may further refer the person to the MAB for review by a physician.[3]  The Medical Advisory Board makes recommendations to the MVA when individuals are referred to the MAB and a certain physical or mental condition is indicated.[4]

Continue reading

by

On this Veteran’s Day we pay tribute to the over 17 million veterans in the US today.  These are men and women who have personally sacrificed to preserve our freedoms, and the great experiment in republican democracy that has survived for over 225 years since the adoption of the US Constitution in 1788.  The genius of the US Constitution is the separation of powers between three branches of government, and between the federal government and the states.  With the addition of the Bill of Rights, we are very fortunate to have a representative government, that respects individual liberties.

Our firm is sensitive to the needs of veterans with links to websites that cater to veterans’ needs.  https://www.lstamm.com/veteran-s-resources.html

In recognition of the sacrifices made by veterans, our firm offers reduced fees to many veterans seeking representation for a traffic or criminal matter.

by

As you all know by now Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away Friday night on erev (the evening of) Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).  According to Jewish tradition, a person who passes on Rosh Hashanah is considered a “tzadik” – a revered person.  The “Notorious RBG” as she came to be nicknamed is certainly that.

She went to Harvard Law School in an era when women were far from accepted in the legal profession.  After transferring to Columbia Law School she graduated first in her class, yet found few job offers for a woman lawyer.  Yet she never gave up fighting for women’s rights, and the rights of all of us, arguing six cases before the Supreme Court, and famously saying “I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”

She eventually landed a seat on the United States Supreme Court.  In her 27 years as a justice, was a powerful voice in such opinions as United States v. Virginia (1996)(striking down VMI’s male-only admissions policy); Olmstead v. L.C. (1999)(individuals with mental disabilities have the right to community-based housing); Bullcoming v. New Mexico (2011)(holding that chemists in DUI cases must be produced by the State for cross-examination in DUI cases), and many others.  She also wrote powerful dissents in Bush v. Gore (2000); Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (2007)(where her dissent led to the Lilly Ledbetter Act – guaranteeing women equal pay) and many others.

Continue reading

by

Today the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision rejecting the Trump administration’s effort to get rid of DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

Robert’s opinion is worth a read.  But here’s my summary of the main points.

Administrative action must be supported by a reason at the time the action is taken and if it is changing a previous policy it must evaluate how it affects people who relied upon the earlier policy.  DACA did two things, conferred benefits and deferred removal proceedings.  Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke issued a memo explaining the termination of DACA at the time relying upon a 5th Circuit ruling declaring DAPA (a similar program for parents) illegal.  But the 5th Circuit opinion only addressed benefits not foregoing removal.  New Sec’y Kirstjen Neilsen expanded upon the reasons nine months later, but post-hoc (after the event) explanations that are different cannot be considered.  She could have issued a new termination decision and explained it but did not.  So her memo would not be considered.  Homeland Security failed to explain why it would change the policy of foregoing removal proceedings and evaluate how it affected people who relied on DACA.  So it was arbitrary and capricious.
Continue reading

by

Goldstein & Stamm, P.A. is pleased to welcome Michael Stamm to the firm as a new associate attorney.

Michael Stamm graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2017. While there he interned at public defender offices in Upper Marlboro and Baltimore, Maryland and Fairbanks, Alaska. He worked as an Executive Article Editor on the Georgetown Poverty Law Journal and published a note, Between A Rock And Discriminatory Place: How Sentencing Guidelines And Mandatory Minimums Should Be Employed To Reduce Poverty Discrimination In The Criminal Justice System, 24 Geo. J. on Poverty L. & Pol’y 399 (2017).  In his third year, he participated in the year-long Georgetown Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic, where he represented indigent clients charged with misdemeanors in Washington D.C. and those on supervised release in revocation hearings. As part of the clinic, he also taught a class on legal writing for lifers at the Jessup Correctional Institution.  At graduation, he received the Kirby S. Howlett III Memorial Award for his clinic and public defender work. 

After graduating from law school, Stamm worked as a public defender in Montrose, Colorado. During that time he represented people charged with a wide variety of misdemeanors and felonies.  He gained significant courtroom experience, litigating numerous motions and trying over 20 cases to juries. 

Continue reading

by

Last week, the Supreme Court announced an 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Thomas, in the case of Kansas v. Glover, allowing a police officer to stop a car where the owner’s driver’s license was revoked, without first ascertaining that the driver was the owner.  This represents a change in the law that will have the overall effect of bringing more people into criminal court.

As the Fourth Amendment applies to the states, the Fourth Amendment’s exclusionary rule also applies in state court.  So if the officer obtains evidence against a person by way of some action that violates the Fourth Amendment, then the evidence is “suppressed,” meaning it cannot be used in court to prove the guilt of the person accused.  The general rule is that a police officer may stop a car if the officer has what is called an articulable reasonable suspicion to believe the driver has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime.

Many officers now have tag readers, and as they drive around they get alerts when the Motor Vehicle Administration alerts that there is a problem with the vehicle registration or the driver’s license of the owner.  Before this new decision, if an officer got an alert on a car that the owner’s driver’s license was suspended, the officer could pull up a photo of the owner on the laptop mounted above his or her console, and verify that the owner was driving the car before making the stop.  Now if the tag reader alerts that the driver’s license of the owner is revoked, the stop can be made without first verifying the driver’s identity.

Continue reading

by

Updated September 30, 2022.  As many of you are aware, courts and the MVA are now open.  Court hearings are back to normal for the most part, except that there is a backlog of cases that were postponed or delayed during the pandemic.  Some District Courts have two am and pm dockets.  Most have a single morning and single afternoon docket.  Face masks are now optional.  All MVA hearings are virtual for the time being – on the web-x platform.   Those of you who are facing DUI or other traffic charges and/or license suspension hearings need to know what is going on with your cases.  If you need to obtain a new driver’s license or modify it, you need to make an appointment at the MVA.

One thing you can always do is check the status of your court cases on Maryland Judiciary Case Search.  You can click on the link or google it.  Click the disclaimer.  Put in your last and first name and click.  Your tickets should be listed.  If you have a common name and the search results take more than one page, you can click on the filing date tab twice, and the most recent cases filed will be listed first.  You can also limit your search by checking the county where the charges were filed, and in most traffic cases, select District Court.  On the left side, the ticket or case numbers are listed and you will be able to see information about your case by clicking on the case number.  If you have a court date, it should be on the page.

If you have recently been arrested, and you either refused a breath or blood test, or failed one, the officer seized your license and gave you a temporary license that allows you to driver for 45 days.  If you asked for a hearing you can drive until your hearing.  If you want a hearing, you should send the hearing request to the Hunt Valley address indicated by certified mail, return receipt requested, with a check for $150 made payable to the Maryland State Treasurer.  This must be sent within 30 days of the issue date on the Order of Suspension, also included on the temporary license form.  If you elect to participate in the ignition interlock program without a hearing, read the next paragraph.

Continue reading

by

On this day 35 years ago, September 4, 1984, I began the practice of law.  I walked into court with my mentor and friend, the late great Alan Goldstein, to watch him litigate motions in a conspiracy to commit murder case.  I had just returned from my honeymoon in Greece the day before.  And while I was in that jet-lagged state, Alan introduced me.

Your honor, I would like to introduce Mr. Leonard Stamm.  You have known him as he clerked across the hall last year.  Now he is my associate.  And he is going to argue today’s motions.
With that, Alan sat down.  And he, and the judge, and the prosecutor looked at me and said “Get up!”  I, of course, was completely unprepared, and shocked.  They all looked at me and again said “Get up” again.  As I slowly started to stand up, they all started laughing.  And with that began my practice of law.
Continue reading

by

The State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, has announced on January 29, 2019, that marijuana possession cases will no longer be prosecuted in Baltimore.  In an article in the New York Times, Marilyn Mosby stated that it makes no sense to prosecute marijuana cases because it diverts resources from investigating more serious crimes and it alienates members of the community whose support police need to investigate these crimes.  Additionally, the State’s Attorneys’ office will be reviewing 5,000 marijuana possession convictions and proposing legislation to make it easier to vacate convictions for marijuana possession.

by

As the Daily Record reported yesterday (Jan. 23, 2019), a bill will be introduced in the Maryland legislature to expand Noah’s Law (named after Noah Leotta – a police officer killed by a drunk driver) to require an ignition interlock be installed as a condition of a probation before judgment.  Currently, first offenders who blow a .15 or higher, or refuse to submit to a breath or blood test are required to obtain an ignition interlock for one year or have their licenses suspended for 180 or 270 days respectively (for a first test failure or refusal).  If the driver submits to a test with a result of .08 or more but less than .15, the 180 day interlock is optional.  That person may elect instead to drive with a permit that allows driving for work, school, medical, or alcohol education restricted driving privileges.  Currently, some first offenders escape the interlock where they win the MVA hearing for a test failure or refusal, or if they have an out of state driver’s license.

There are some significant problems with the proposal, such as dealing with individuals who share cars with family members, who don’t own a car, who have to drive clients to earn a living or who live out of state.  Currently, out of state drivers are not allowed to participate in Maryland’s ignition interlock program.  This can be a devastating problem for drivers who live out of state and work in Maryland.  Additionally, the law would deprive judges of the discretion to deny interlock in an appropriate case.  This was the decision the legislature made a few years ago when Noah’s Law was enacted.  Also commercial drivers are not allowed to drive commercial vehicles while their licenses are restricted in this way.

As the Daily Record reported:

Continue reading
Contact Information
Capital Office Park
6301 Ivy Lane # 504
Greenbelt, Maryland 20770
Phone: 301-345-0122
Toll Free: 800-256-8172
Fax: 301-441-4652

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2024, Goldstein & Stamm, P.A.
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design