Law Office of Kenneth E. Crocken

Being your own Attorney - Pro Se Representation

2008-02-16T12:30:00.001-05:00

Representing yourself may be necessary for many reasons; representing yourself can also be intimidating. In the District Court there are many forms to may help to get you through the process. There are forms for the Circuit Court as well; however, the library is not as roboust.

There are several things a lawyer can help you with, possibly the most valuable is getting through the little technical formalities. While these tasks may not be absolutely critical but, do help with the overall administration of the proceedings, i.e., a good working relationship with the court.

An example is the forms. While the forms the court provides are helpful, they can not cover all possible situations. There are requirements for papers submitted to the court. Maryland Rules of Civil Procedure 1-301 (Md. Rule 1-301) covers the form of papers submitted to the Court. The Court probably will not penalize a pro se litigant from not following the rule, however, it will help move the case more efficiently.

If you need more help with representing yourself, you may want to check the Maryland Courts Online Legal Resources.

For a free initial consultation you may call Kenneth E Crocken, Esq., at 410-878-2905.

Technorati Tags: maryland, court, rules, 1-301, litigation, self-help

Child Support Calculations

2007-04-16T19:45:00.001-05:00

Under Maryland law, child support is calculated based on a set of fairly rigid guidelines; a court can modify the guidelines under specific circumstances.

The Maryland Department of Human Resources, under the Child Support Enforcement Program publishes an online worksheet that takes you through the child support guidelines, estimating what the judge might order as a monthly child support payment.

You may also contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in your county and ask to speak to the Family Services Program Coordinator. Most of these programs provide free family law clinics and other services, such as mediation, visitation, neutral evaluations, substance abuse evaluations, etc. . .

Technorati Tags: maryland, divorce, child, support, guide, online, worksheet

Maryland Electronic Case Filing and Webcast of Hearings

2006-11-28T23:06:00.001-05:00

Anne Arundel County is starting a program to train the court's staff in electronic filing, with complete case files available online.

Further, the Maryland Court of Appeals is planning to launch it's webcast this Thursday.

Stephanie Tracey "Local, state courts going high-tech" Baltimore Examiner, Nov. 28, 2006

Technorati Tags: anne, arundel, electronic, filing, court, appeals

Maryland Court - Case Information Online

2006-11-21T23:56:00.000-05:00

Case information from the Circuit and District Courts of Maryland is now accessible online.

Public Access to Maryland Court Records

All counties are accessible except Montgomery and Prince George's.

Prince George's County is accessible here.

Montgomery County is accessible here.

Are you renting your own home?

2006-11-20T04:56:00.000-05:00

When someone is in foreclosure, they may be approached by individuals claiming they can save the home.

The individual in foreclosure, "to save the home," ultimately sells the home to an investor who then rents the home back. Often times these transactions are scams, leaving the homeowner with nothing.

Maryland recently passed the Protection of Homeowners in Foreclosure Act which proscribes how these transactions should be handled and various remedies.

If you have sold your home to stop a foreclosure, you may be able to have your home returned to you or recoup any lost value.

Maryland Driver's Handbook

2006-10-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

The Maryland MVA publishes the Maryland Driver's Handbook which contains all the information you need in regard to your driver's license.

Everything you need to know about your MD Driver's License.