The Value of Expungement: Clearing Your Criminal Record in Maryland

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 3 minutes of reading

In the field of criminal defense, one of the most powerful tools we can offer our clients is the expungement of their criminal records. This procedure, which essentially “erases” specific types of convictions or charges from public view, can be a game-changer in one’s personal and professional life. In Maryland, understanding the importance of getting […]

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Towson, MD expungement attorney Stephen P. Shepard in Baltimore County, MD

What is the Exigent Circumstances Exception?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 4 minutes of reading

The exigent circumstances exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment allows the police to conduct a search or seizure without first obtaining a warrant if there is an urgent need to do so to prevent serious harm, the destruction of evidence, or the escape of a suspect. In other words, if there is

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Exigent circumstances criminal defense attorney Stephen P. Shepard Towson, MD Baltimore County

What are Miranda Rights?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 5 minutes of reading

Miranda rights, also known as the Miranda warnings, are a set of legal rights that must be read to a suspect who is both under arrest and being interrogated by a law enforcement officer in the United States. The Miranda warning is named after the U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436

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miranda rights criminal defense attorney stephen p. shepard in towson, md baltimore county

What is the Automobile Exception?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 4 minutes of reading

The automobile exception to the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement is a legal doctrine that allows the police to conduct a warrantless search of a vehicle if they have probable cause to believe that the vehicle contains evidence of a crime or contraband. The U.S. Supreme Court created the automobile exception in the landmark case of

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Automobile exception criminal defense attorney stephen p. shepard in towson, md

What is a Terry Stop?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 4 minutes of reading

A Terry stop refers to a brief detention or stop of an individual by a law enforcement officer, based on reasonable suspicion that the person has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime. The name comes from the 1968 U.S. Supreme Court case, Terry v. Ohio, which established that a police officer

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terry stop criminal defense attorney stephen p. shepard in towson, md

What is Probable Cause?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 4 minutes of reading

Probable cause is a legal standard used by law enforcement officials to justify an arrest, a search, or the issuance of a warrant. It refers to the reasonable belief, based on facts and circumstances known to the officer at the time, that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed, and

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Probable cause criminal defense attorney towson, md baltimore county stephen p. shepard

What is an Alford Plea?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 4 minutes of reading

An Alford plea is a type of guilty plea in criminal court where the Defendant does not admit to committing the crime, but acknowledges that the State has enough evidence to convict him or her. By entering an Alford plea, the Defendant is essentially admitting that they would likely be found guilty of the crime

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Alford plea attorney in Towson, MD Baltimore County Stephen P. Shepard

What is an Indictment?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 2 minutes of reading

An indictment is a charging document or written accusation that a prosecutor submits to a grand jury to aid the prosecutor in deciding whether or not to charge a person with a crime. If the grand jury finds that there is probable cause to believe that (i) a crime was committed and (ii) the Defendant

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Baltimore County, MD criminal defense attorney near me Stephen Shepard

What is the Spousal Privilege?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 2 minutes of reading

With certain exceptions and limitations, the spousal privilege provides that the spouse of a Defendant on trial for a crime may not be compelled or forced to testify as an adverse witness against the Defendant spouse. See Md. Code Courts and Judicial Proceedings 9-106. It most commonly arises in cases of domestic violence or assault

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Stephen Shepard Towson, MD criminal defense attorney spousal privilege

What is the Right to a Speedy Trial?

Criminal Procedure / By Stephen P. Shepard / 5 minutes of reading

Table of Contents The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Maryland Declaration of Rights guarantee that every person accused of a crime has the right to speedy trial. This blog post will focus only on the constitutional aspect of the right to a speedy trial (not the Maryland Declaration of Rights or Maryland laws). The Sixth Amendment’s

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The Value of Expungement: Clearing Your Criminal Record in Maryland

What is the Exigent Circumstances Exception?

What are Miranda Rights?

What is the Automobile Exception?

What is a Terry Stop?

What is Probable Cause?

What is an Alford Plea?

What is an Indictment?

What is the Spousal Privilege?

What is the Right to a Speedy Trial?

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