The Maryland State Police recently issued an agency-wide memo instructing its employees to continue to uphold the HQL law, which was just declared unconstitutional by a panel of three federal judges last week in Richmond. Citing the infamous 2022 Supreme Court decision out of New York, the Fourth Circuit Court…
Roughly ten years ago Maryland lawmakers passed the Firearm Safety Act of 2013. For the last decade anyone who wished to purchase a handgun in Maryland was forced to apply to the State Police for Handgun Qualification License or HQL. There were several requirements for obtaining a HQL, with the…
The 2024 Maryland legislative session is roughly two months away, but there are already signs that juvenile justice will be a hot topic when lawmakers report to Annapolis in January. The Maryland House Judiciary Committee has already held multiple juvenile justice fact-finding meetings in advance of the legislative session and…
On October 1 the Maryland Redeem Act became state law, and now thousands of individuals can file to expunge prior criminal convictions that were once considered permanent. The Redeem Act is a major breakthrough for those who have struggled to advance in the workplace, obtain professional licenses and secure loans…
Montgomery County Police recently arrested a 17-year-old high school student for various firearm offenses after he was found in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun on the public school’s campus. The student, who lives in Bethesda, was charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a loaded…
Three young men were recently arrested by Prince George’s County police officers following a traffic stop of an SUV that had been flagged by law enforcement for criminal involvement. The driver of the SUV was arrested on the scene, while the two others were arrested shortly thereafter. After arresting the…
Most of the criminal justice bills that are either signed into law by the Governor or otherwise pass the General Assembly become law on October 1 each year. The exceptions are major policy changes such as the legalization of marijuana, which typically are planned farther in advance. Marijuana legalization stole…
Anne Arundel County Police have charged two men with multiple criminal and traffic offenses in connection with a hit and run that left a state trooper seriously injured. According to reports, police attempted to conduct a traffic stop of a Ford F-150 in Pasadena at around 12:30 in the afternoon…
The Juvenile Interrogation Act, which prevents police from questioning juveniles without first providing an attorney has its critics, but it is not the only element of juvenile justice reform to come under fire recently. Other provisions of the recent reforms include the abolishment of criminal charges for children under the…
Last year Maryland lawmakers passed the Child Interrogation Protection Act, which requires law enforcement to provide detained juveniles access to a lawyer before being questioned. All detained suspects are afforded the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney under the United States Constitution, but juvenile defendants are…