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What to Know About Drug Charges in Maryland
Drug charges can carry serious penalties in Maryland. Yet the penalties for a drug crime vary depending on the type of controlled substance or drug implicated and on the type of criminal activity. If you have been charged with a drug crime, you may not understand the charges or potential penalties. Turning to an experienced Rockville, MD drug crimes criminal defense attorney is crucial to understanding the charges against you and mounting a strong defense.
How Do Maryland Drug Charges Work?
In Maryland, controlled dangerous substances (CDS) are classified into five categories or schedules based on the drug’s danger and its potential for addiction and abuse. Penalties for drug offenses involving CDS will vary based on the type of drug and the amount involved. Additionally, using a minor to manufacture or distribute drugs, or distributing drugs near a school are separate offenses that carry their own penalties.
Common Intellectual Property Disputes In Business
One of the most valuable assets that a business can own is intellectual property, whether that is copyrights, trademarks, patents, or trade secrets. Intellectual property gives businesses an edge in the marketplace.
Yet intellectual property (IP) disputes are increasingly common. Whether intentional or not, businesses may infringe on intellectual property rights, and other businesses naturally want to protect their IP from competitors who seek to copy it without authorization. An experienced Rockville, MD intellectual property dispute attorney advises businesses on protecting their IP rights in disputes.
Copyright Infringement
Copyrights are legal rights protecting works of authorship such as written works, songs, dramatic plays, video games, movies, and software. A claim for copyright infringement usually arises when someone copies or distributes copyrighted work without authorization. For example, a software company could have a dispute with a competitor over the source code it owns that the competitor is now using to make a profit without any authorization.
What to Know About Construction Defect Disputes
One of the most frustrating and potentially expensive setbacks that a property owner can face is finding a construction defect. Minor or major construction defects are a hassle, can lower a property’s value, and are likely to require repairs. Whether the construction or renovation has been completed or is ongoing, there are strategies to seek legal redress for construction defects. A Falls Church, VA property dispute attorney can advise you on your rights in a dispute to address construction defects.
What Are Common Defects in Property Construction?
Construction defects occur when the construction has a flaw either due to substandard materials or work. Some common construction defects that lead to construction disputes include:
General Construction Defects
Examples of general construction defects include structural defects, failure to follow plans, electrical problems, sagging floors, door binding, stained drywall, moisture and mold issues, finishing issues, and more. Construction companies are required to hand over a finished product free of construction defects and that meets the terms of the agreement between the company and owner. If they do not, the property owners may have a claim for the construction defect.
What to Include in Your Maryland Prenup
If you have recently become engaged and are preparing for your upcoming wedding, there are surely many things on your mind during this exciting time. From the dress and suit to the flowers and venue, much must be planned before the wedding.
You may also have decided to sign a prenuptial agreement with your future spouse detailing how the division of assets will play out in the worst-case scenario of divorce or death. In that case, you may be wondering how to begin drafting that agreement and what should go into the contract. An experienced Rockville, MD family law attorney can draft a prenuptial agreement that protects your interests, your marriage, and your financial future.
What is a Prenuptial Agreement?
A prenuptial agreement, or "prenup" as it is sometimes called, is a written contract signed between two people who are getting married laying out the legally binding ways that the spouses agree to divide their assets in the future if they get divorced. Prenuptial agreements also may deal with other issues, such as clarifying how the spouses intend to handle finances during the marriage. A prenuptial agreement gives the future spouses a chance to make decisions about the division of their assets.
What to Know About Liability and Dog Bite Claims
Dogs are man’s best friend, it is true. Yet dogs are also animals, and sometimes the worst can happen when a dog bites and hurts an innocent bystander. Whether the dog bites an adult or child, a dog bite can result in serious injury, emotional trauma, and financial harm.
If you have been attacked by a dog in Maryland, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the owner seeking financial compensation for your injuries. An experienced Rockville, MD dog bite attorney can represent your rights in a personal injury case to recover for your dog bites.
Who is Liable When a Dog Bites?
If you have been injured in a dog bite, you can sue to recover for your medical bills and non-financial damages such as pain and suffering. There are several theories of liability that can impact a personal injury recovery or settlement in Maryland.
Complying With Maryland Construction Regulations 101
One of the important ways to ensure that a construction project is successful is to comply with applicable local, state, and federal regulations. This is no easy task given the web of regulations that govern many aspects of construction, from environmental and safety regulations to zoning, building codes, contracts, and employment laws. An experienced Maryland construction attorney can help you ensure that you have a strong compliance process in place to stay ahead of legal issues on your construction project.
What Is Construction Compliance?
Simply put, compliance in a construction context means abiding by the laws and regulations that apply to a particular construction business or project to ensure the construction is completed safely and legally.
Compliance is often complex and involves many moving parts because construction touches on multiple areas of law and regulations. What is more, failure to comply can lead to steep financial and reputational penalties – everything from litigation to project shutdown.
Monetary Remedies for Breach of Contract Lawsuits
A breach of contract occurs when one party fails to fulfill their obligations under an agreement. Breaches of contract can have significant financial and reputational repercussions. During litigation to resolve a breach of contract dispute, the court will review many aspects of the case, including whether there was a breach of the agreement and whether that breach was material, meaning that it affected an essential element of the contract. The court may grant the winning party monetary remedies. A Germantown, MD attorney can advise businesses on the potential monetary remedies available for breach of contract should they prevail in the lawsuit.
Liquidated Damages
Some contracts include a liquidated damages provision detailing a specific amount that a breaching party must pay for a breach of contract. Maryland law will enforce a provision for liquidated damages as long as it meets certain criteria, including that it be fair and reasonable. However, if the court finds that the clause imposes a penalty on the breaching party it will generally not enforce the section or award these damages.
What is Defensive vs. Affirmative Asylum?
Asylum allows qualifying individuals to remain in the United States and seek lawful permanent residency in the future. U.S. law provides that people who fear persecution or torture may seek asylum here. The United States offers two main paths to asylum: affirmative and defensive, depending on the circumstances. An experienced Maryland immigration attorney can represent individuals seeking asylum in the United States.
How Do You Qualify For Asylum?
In order to be eligible for both affirmative or defensive asylum in the U.S., you must be physically present in the country and able to show that you have a fear of being persecuted or tortured in your home country due to one of five protected grounds: your race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion.
Mechanics’ Liens for Contractors and Subcontractors in Maryland
Unlike what the name suggests, a mechanics’ lien is a legal mechanism that contractors (and subcontractors) may utilize in order to ensure that they are paid for their labor, services, and materials on a construction project. Contractors that obtain a mechanics’ lien receive security on real property that they can turn to in case they are not paid on a project. An experienced Rockville, Maryland attorney can assist contractors in obtaining a mechanics’ lien.
How Do Mechanics’ Liens Work?
When a contractor obtains a mechanics’ lien, they can force sale of the property to obtain an unpaid amount due on a project. Subcontractors can also receive a mechanics’ lien even if they do not have a contract with the property owner, so long as they have an agreement with the contractor, and the contractor has an agreement with the owner. Other construction professionals, including suppliers and architects, may also obtain mechanics’ liens.
Defenses to a Breach of Contract Lawsuit
Even with the best of intentions, disputes sometimes arise in the course of business. Often, these take the form of accusations that there has been a breach of contract, such as that a party to the contract failed to perform an important contractual obligation. If the contract dispute ends up in court, there are common breach of contract defenses that the party accused of breaching the contract can claim. An experienced Falls Church contract dispute attorney can advise on the most effective breach of contract defenses in your case.
What Are Common Breach of Contract Defenses?
There are many defenses to a breach of contract lawsuit. Most of these are called "affirmative" defenses, meaning that you would not argue that the contract was not breached, but rather that some aspect of the contract makes it or the disputed portion legally void. The effectiveness of a defense will depend on the terms of the contract and the facts of your case.
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