Absolute Divorce Law Effective October 1, 2023
Currently, Maryland has two types of divorce: limited divorce and absolute divorce; however, limited divorce, which does not terminate a marriage, will no longer be available in Maryland starting October 1, 2023 , and absolute divorce will become the only type of...
Can a Felony be Expunged? Under What Circumstances?
Whether applying for schools, jobs, or housing or even when requesting government services, having a felony on your record can prevent you and your family from seizing valuable opportunities. Through the process of expungement, however, you may be able to remove these...
Five Steps for Your “What to do After an Auto Accident” Checklist
Let’s face it, auto accidents happen. When they do they can be frightening and confusing; emotions run high and it is easy to forget the important information that you need to ensure the legal process goes smoothly. These five steps break down exactly what you need to...
What Happens When You Get Arrested
So, hypothetically speaking here, you find yourself out late at night and you get into a little bit of trouble. The police show up and you are placed under arrest. You might wonder what’s going to happen to you after you’ve been cuffed and put into the squad car. You...
Will Congress Eliminate The Federal Equitable Sharing Program?
Finally some positive changes are on the horizon to address the injustice of federal forfeiture law and the so called Equitable Sharing Program. Under the Equitable Sharing Program, state, county and local police departments routinely seize currency or other valuable...
Dealing With Out of State Traffic Tickets: A New York Perspective
If you hold a Maryland driver’s license but receive a traffic ticket while driving through New York, you may think that ticket will never find its way onto your driving record. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. As Maryland and New York are both signatories of the...
Summer Intern Diaries: The 5 Best Things about Interning at Houlon Berman
When I sat down to write my first blog for Houlon Berman, I spoke of my post-teen crisis. Like many other people my age, I knew college wasn't going to last forever and I would soon be faced with many important decisions about what I wanted to do with my life. One...
Summer Intern Diaries- Lawyer’s Intuition
Hi again everyone! This week’s blog is about the old adage “practice makes perfect” and how I’ve come to learn during my internship how it applies to the practice of law. While I do expect to learn many of the skills of lawyering, such as legal research, writing and...
Supreme Court Ruling- Cell Phones Cannot Be Searched Without A Warrant
Should Police Be Allowed To Search A Cell Phone Without A Warrant? The question of whether the police can search ones cell phone without a search warrant has been at issue in numerous cases handled by the Firm over the past few years. In The Eyes Of The Defense The...
Summer Intern Diaries-Working at Houlon Berman: “The Dungeon”
Hello everyone! I am glad to report that I am well into my groove here at Houlon Berman! Despite a few hiccups (I ripped my shirt in the middle of the day and avoided anyone knowing about it… until now I guess), I’ve already mastered a lot of the essentials when it...
Summer Intern Diaries-Working at Houlon Berman: It’s Not All Fun and Brains
I have survived my first week as an intern at Houlon Berman without any intern horror stories to report! I’m sure I will have a battle with the copier or some telephone system screw up to report soon, but not so far. In this week’s blog, I will share my initial...
Summer Intern Diaries-Working at Houlon Berman: Day One
My name is Adam Firestone and I am going to be blogging about my experience as a summer intern for Houlon Berman. I am a rising college Senior at the University of Georgia (GO DAWGS!) majoring in Political Science and minoring in History and SEC Football. I am also...
The Dos and Don’ts of “Sleeping it Off”: How to Sober Up in Your Car Without Risking Criminal Exposure
It’s Friday night. You’re ready to go home after a night out, but you've been drinking. So rather than drive home, you figure you’ll get some shut eye in the car and drive home in the morning once you've sobered up. You get in and close your eyes. 45 minutes later, a...
When Silence Can Be Used Against You
We've heard it time and again, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law..." This iteration of the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination has become a part of our cultural lexicon. Those words have...