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Domestic Violence in Maryland

April 28, 2020 by

What Constitutes Domestic Abuse?

Domestic Violence in MarylandUnder Maryland law, certain criminal acts can be prosecuted as domestic violence when committed against a household or family member. Those crimes which can qualify as domestic violence include:

  • Simple or aggravated assault;
  • Stalking or harassment;
  • Sexual assault, including rape;
  • Child abuse or violence toward a vulnerable adult; and
  • Any act causing serious bodily harm or a reasonable apprehension of imminent bodily harm.

Maryland applies the concept of domestic violence broadly, including actions between current or former spouses; individuals who cohabitate; parents and children; stepparents and stepchildren; and anyone else related by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Experienced Maryland Domestic Violence Lawyer

Attorney Jonathan Scott Smith brings more than three decades of experience to men and women throughout Baltimore County and across the state of Maryland who have been arrested for or charged with domestic violence. Attorney Smith is AV-rated by other attorneys under Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review System and has been named a Maryland SuperLawyer. A recipient of AVVO’s Client’s Choice Award, with an average client review of 5 stars(the highest rating possible), Attorney Smith also has a perfect 10.0 (Superb) AVVO rating as a litigator and was listed as a 2012 Top-Rated Lawyer by The American Lawyer magazine.

Attorney Smith will tenaciously protect your rights in any criminal matter, whether you are under investigation or already arrested and charged. He’ll verify that there was probable cause for arrest and that all your constitutional rights were respected. He’ll carefully investigate the facts and circumstances of your case in order to make the most persuasive arguments in your defense. Smith is a proven trial attorney with the skill, knowledge, and resources to protect your rights in any criminal matter.

Frederick County Criminal Defense Attorney

Contact experienced Maryland criminal defense lawyer Jonathan Scott Smith online or call us at 410-740-0101 to set up an appointment. We handle criminal matters in Howard County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Frederick County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County in Maryland.

Filed Under: Sexual Assault Tagged With:

Police Arrest Registered Sex Offender on Rape Charges

December 12, 2016 by

Police-Arrest

An Aberdeen man, listed as a Tier III registered sex offender, has been charged with a number of sex crimes, including rape, based on a complaint made to police in early December. Law enforcement officers say that a woman told them she was assaulted by the defendant in a parked vehicle in the 600 block of McHenry Drive on November 30, 2016. She told officers that the man used physical force to remove her clothing and to engage in sexual intercourse with her. The defendant was charged with:

  • First degree rape
  • Second degree rape
  • First degree sex offense
  • Second degree sex offense
  • Third degree sex offense
  • Fourth degree sex offense

According to court records, the defendant was convicted in 2015 of second degree rape and sentenced to a 10-year prison term, but the sentence was suspended in lieu of four years of probation.

AV-Rated Ellicott City Criminal Defense Attorney

Maryland Super Lawyer Jonathan Scott Smith has aggressively protected the rights of criminal defendants in Maryland for more than 30 years. Because of his record and reputation for effective advocacy, he has been awarded the Client’s Choice Award from AVVO, with an average client review of 5 stars (the highest rating possible). He also has a perfect 10.0 Superb rating as a litigation attorney from AVVO. Smith was also recognized as a 2012 Top-Rated Lawyer by The American Lawyer Magazine and by Martindale-Hubbell.

Top-Tier Columbia, Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you face criminal charges, you want someone who will aggressively protect your constitutional rights. Contact us by e-mail or call us at 410-740-0101 to schedule an appointment. We represent criminal defendants in Howard County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Frederick County, Prince Georges County and Montgomery County in Maryland.

Filed Under: criminal lawyer Tagged With: ,

Attorney Representing Immigrants Charged with Crimes in Maryland

July 17, 2012 by

Legal Information and Legal Assistance from Smith Criminal Defense Firm

Criminal charges are always serious. For immigrants, though, a criminal conviction can bring even more problems. For instance:

  • If you are an immigrant, a conviction can lead to deportation
  • If you have a green card, a conviction can lead to the loss of your permanent residency status
  • A conviction can lead to the loss of your chance for American citizenship

Your right to remain in the U.S. isn’t threatened only by a felony conviction. Even a seemingly minor and “private” domestic violence dispute can lead to deportation, as can a one-time conviction for petty theft.
If you are an immigrant facing criminal charges in Maryland, have questions regarding the rights of a family member facing criminal charges, contact the Columbia law firm of Smith Criminal Defense Firm. Firm founder and attorney Jonathan Scott Smith is an experienced criminal defense lawyer who has assisted numerous immigrants fight and beat criminal charges.

In addition, attorney Smith is a former prosecutor who is highly experienced in handling criminal cases involving immigration issues on both sides of the law. He is committed to providing the aggressive legal representation needed to keep you out of jail and in the U.S. This means that, if a conviction occurs, we can use appeals, motions to vacate and other legal options available in an attempt to eliminate or reduce your charges and achieve a cancellation of removal.

To discuss your legal concerns with an attorney who has worked with numerous immigrants charged with crimes in Maryland, please contact Smith Criminal Defense Firm by calling 410-740-0101.

Filed Under: Criminal Defense, criminal defense lawyer, criminal lawyer, defense attorney, deportation Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Weapons Charges Legal Defense Attorney in Columbia, Maryland

June 20, 2012 by

weapons
Have you been charged with a weapons charge in Maryland? Prosecutors work aggressively to prosecute alleged weapons laws violators. Do not take on prosecutors without experienced legal assistance. Contact attorney Jonathan Scott Smith of the Smith Criminal Defense Firm.

Mr. Smith has handled hundreds of criminal cases in Maryland, both as a criminal defense lawyer and as a prosecutor. Have you been charged with:

  • Aggravated assault?
  • Carrying a firearm without a permit, or carrying a concealed handgun?
  • Felon in possession?
  • Assault with a dangerous weapon?
  • A weapons charge in conjunction with a drug crime, theft or other crime?

Tough Penalties for Weapons Charges

Under Maryland sentencing guidelines, crimes that involve a gun can lead to increased jail time and other legal penalties. More information regarding Maryland gun laws.

Once convicted of a weapons charge, you may face consequences of your weapons charge conviction that may affect the rest of your life. At the Smith Criminal Defense Firm, we understand that your future hinges on the outcome of your criminal case.

Ellicott City and Columbia Weapons Defense Lawyer

We are experienced in handling weapons charge cases and can conduct the in-depth investigation needed to build an effective defense. Attorney Smith has tried hundreds of criminal cases to verdict, including numerous criminal jury trials.

Highly Rated Howard County Criminal Lawyer

Mr. Smith is a top rated attorney and former prosecutor with more than 30 years of extensive trial experience, including weapons and gun cases. Attorney Smith has handled thousands of criminal cases in the local courts, including Howard County. Mr. Smith fights hard for his clients. That’s why many satisfied clients think so highly of him. Mr. Smith’s results speak for themselves.

Mr. Smith’s extensive trial experience — and track record of successful results in deadly weapon, gun, firearm, and other criminal cases — has earned him the recognition of the legal community, with an AV® Preeminent™* Peer Review Rating in the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating process, and a 10.0 Superb AVVO rating. These are the highest ratings possible for legal skill, ethical practice, lawyer’s years in practice, disciplinary history, professional achievements and industry recognition. Attorney Smith is considered to be one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Howard County.

Attorney Jonathan Scott Smith represents clients in weapons and other criminal defense matters, DUI / DWI, MVA Hearings, traffic offenses, domestic violence and child abuse charges throughout Maryland, including the cities of Columbia, Clarksville, Sykesville, Fulton, Elkridge, Frederick, Mt. Airy, Ellicott City, Laurel, Westminster, and Baltimore. Lawyer Smith also provides experienced legal representation for clients in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Prince Georges (Prince George) County, Howard County and Montgomery County, MD.

Contact Us

To schedule an appointment with an experienced weapons lawyer and criminal defense attorney, contact us online or call us at 410-740-0101. Put the skill and experience of a former prosecutor to fight for you. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.

Filed Under: Criminal Defense, criminal defense lawyer, criminal lawyer, defense attorney, deportation, District Court for Howard County, illega possession of firearm, illegal possession of firearm, illegal possession of handgun, possession of firearm, possession of firearm on school property, possession of handgun on school property Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Is Domestic Violence in Maryland?

October 31, 2011 by

domestic-violence-4

Domestic violence laws apply to a wide range of behaviors committed by one intimate partner against another. But at its core, domestic violence is the use of force or duress by one person to control another. Following are the forms of domestic abuse with Maryland’s domestic violence law:

  • Physical abuse. This is defined as (1) an act that causes serious bodily harm, or (2) an act that places a person in fear of imminent serious bodily harm. This can include hitting, kicking, choking, grabbing, pinching, shoving, punching and using weapons against the victim.
  • Sexual abuse. This is forcing another to engage in sexual acts against their will and without their consent. It includes attempted or completed rape or sexual offenses.
  • Verbal threats. This includes threats of bodily harm.
  • False Imprisonment. This is the confinement or detention of a person against that person’s will, accomplished by force or threat of force, or deception.
  • Stalking. This is a malicious course of conduct that includes approaching or pursuing another where the person intends to place, or knows or reasonably should have known, the conduct would place another person in reasonable fear:
    • Of serious bodily injury; an assault; actual or attempted rape or sexual offense; false imprisonment; or death, or
    • That a third person likely will suffer any of the acts listed in the preceding paragraph.

A common misconception is that women are believed to be the majority of victims of domestic abuse. However, many men have also been victims of domestic abuse. Abuse can be frequent or infrequent, although typically it escalates over time and constitutes a pattern of behavior.

Contact a Columbia domestic violence defense attorney

If you have been charged with or are under investigation for domestic abuse, it is vital you retain an experienced Maryland criminal defense attorney immediately. A domestic abuse charge can result in your having to move out of your home and being denied contact with your children. Such a charge can also ruin your reputation and endanger your job. To talk to a lawyer who understands what is at stake, contact Jonathan Scott Smith online or call 410-740-0101 today to schedule a consultation.

Filed Under: Criminal Defense, criminal defense lawyer, criminal lawyer, Domestic Assault, Domestic Violence Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Contact Us

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  • Jonathan Scott Smith 10490 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 200 ,Columbia, MD 21044-4960

  • Call for consultation 410-740-0101

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