Recent Blog Posts in 2010

The landscape for criminal defense lawyers and criminal defendants in Cecil County, Maryland is about to dramatically change due to the recent retirement of the Honorable Dexter M. Thompson, Jr.  With the Honorable O. Robert Lidums facing mandatory retirement due to age effective October, 2010, the Cecil County Circuit Court will have two new faces in the near future.

The rumor mill was  rampant with potential candidates and February 8, 2010 the 5 applicants were announced .    Their applications were forwarded to the Judicial Nominating Commission for District 2, that is composed of lawyers and non-lawyers previously appointed by  Governor Martin O'Malley.  The JNC  considered comments from the various bar associations and any other interested persons who wrote to the Commission with comments and  4 applicants were sent to Gov. O'Malley for the  appointment.  Of note, the applicant that was omitted from consideration was the State's Attorney for Cecil County!!  The successful candidate will then have to run for election in the 2010 general election and the winner will serve for 15 years.  Any lawyer may run in the general election, even if the lawyer did not initially apply for the appointment.   The rumor mill has it that a long time Elkton lawyer that did not apply plans to run against the eventual appointee in the general election!!  And he may be the favorite to win!!   So  be prepared for an interesting September primary.

This appointment is very important to all citizens of the County and I urge everyone to become involved so that your voices are heard.  Judges effect you and your families lives and you have a say in the governor's  appointment and the ultimate say in the general election.  There is an ongoing movement to do away with judicial elections by arguing that the process is too political.  Do not be misled by this reasoning.....nothing could be more political than appointing a political crony and supporter as a judge than the current system.  More later. 

Roxicodone, a variation of Oxycodone, is fast becoming Cecil County's most popular street drug .  Oxycodone is a narcotic prescribed to relieve pain and is twice as potent as morphine.  There are many variations of Oxycodone products on the market, but OxyContin and Roxicodone, in 15mg and 30mg tablets, seem to be used and abused most frequently in Cecil County. 

The use of these drugs takes many forms and it is reportedly crushed  and then snorted or injected to relieve pain, alleviate withdrawal symptoms and to gain euphoric effects.  As prescribed, OxyContin sell for $4.00 per tablet and depending on the market, the street value is $1.00 per milligram, making a 40 mg. tablet $40.  Roxicodone ("Roxys") reportedly sell for $15-$20 for a 30mg tablet in Cecil County, MD.

If you have been charged with possession or sale of Roxicodone/Oxycondone, call Elkton drug defense lawyer, C. Thomas Brown.

The Cecil County Detention Center , (CCDC) is a county detention facility located at 500 Landing Lane, Elkton, MD 21921.  It has two components-"Jailside", where individuals are held pre-trial and after sentencing and the Community Adult Rehabilitation Center (CARC), that houses work-release prisoners.

Individuals are held pre-trial when bond has not been posted and also when awaiting an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner or a District or Circuit Judge.  Bail may be posted in cash, real property located in Maryland or through a corporate bonding company.  Most bonds are posted through a corporate bonding company, more commonly known as a bail bondsman.

I refer my clients to Elkton based Back on Your Block for bail bonds.   This company has provided my clients with fast professional service with the resources to write bail bonds for out of state individuals charged with serious offenses, such as drug crimes .

If you need assistance with pre-trial release issues , call Elkton based criminal lawyer, C. Thomas Brown.

The Maryland State Police's Pro Active Enforcement Team continues out in force with drug interdiction stops on I-95 in Cecil County,MD

Most of these "profile" stops are for minor speed violations, unsafe lane changes and following too close. The basis for the search of the vehicle is usually the odor of marjuana due to a K-9 alert or the officers sense of smell.  It is incredible how some officers can smell marijuana in a heat sealed package wrapped in a container!!  They better be careful or they won't need the dogs!!

To keys to defending many of these cases are the video of the stop, the audio recordings of the stop, the delay in processing the stop and the dog records.  A recent "pro-police" decision by the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland makes the challenge of these stops even more difficult and anyone charged with this type of offense needs an experienced attorney for these cases.  If you or a loved has been stopped and charged with a drug crime:
Call an experienced Cecil County drug defense lawyer today.