Law Commons^™

Recent Development: Assategue Coastal Trust, Inc. V. Schwalbach: An Applicant Must Satisfy The "Unwarranted Hardship" Standard To Be Granted A Variance; The Variance Must Have No Adverse Impact On The Environment And Conform To The Purpose Of The Critical Area Program, Michael Louis Brown

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that the Worchester County Board properly applied the “unwarranted hardship” standard and correctly granted a variance under local critical area law. Assateague Coastal Trust, Inc. v. Schwalbach, 448 Md. 112, 140, 136 A.3d 866, 882 (2016). The court held that the variance would not have an adverse impact on the environment and the development was in conformity with the Critical Area Program’s purpose and intent. Schwalbach, 448 Md. at 143-44, 136 A.3d at 883.

University Of Baltimore Law Forum Volume 47 No. 1 (Fall 2016) Front Matter

University of Baltimore Law Forum

No abstract provided.

The Regression Of "Good Faith" In Maryland Commercial Law, Lisa D. Sparks

University of Baltimore Law Forum

“Good faith,” in the affirmative or as the absence of bad faith, has always been a challenge to define and judge as a matter of conduct, motive, or both. Different tests apply a subjective standard, an objective standard, or even a combination of the two. Some parties may be held to different expectations than others. This determination of good faith has always been fact-driven and somewhat transcendental. Until recently, however, the question invoked a construct of fairness, resting on a two-pronged metric, at least insofar as several key titles of the Maryland Uniform Commercial Code were concerned. Since June 1, …

Comment: Maryland State Bank: The Responsible Solution For Fostering The Growth Of Maryland's Medical Cannabis Program, David Bronfein

University of Baltimore Law Forum

In 2013, Maryland passed its initial medical cannabis law.1 Although seemingly a success in the medical cannabis reform movement, the law only allowed for “academic medical centers” to participate in the program.2 In essence, an academic medical center could dispense medical cannabis to patients who met the criteria for participation in their research program.3 The success of this type of program structure was a concern for medical cannabis advocates,4 and the concerns were validated when no academic medical centers decided to participate.5 As a result of this lackluster program, the General Assembly responded by passing a bill6 during the 2014 …

University Of Baltimore Law Forum Volume 46 No. 2 (Spring 2016) Front Matter

University of Baltimore Law Forum

No abstract provided.

Whose Bright Idea Was This Anyway? The Origins Of Judicial Elections In Maryland, Yosef Kuperman

University of Baltimore Law Forum

This paper describes how Maryland switched from the life-tenured appointed judiciary under its original Constitution to an elected judiciary. It traces the history of judicial selection from the appointments after 1776 through the Ripper Bills of the early nineteenth century to the eventual adoption of judicial elections in 1850. It finds that the supporters of judicial elections had numerous complex motives that boiled down to trying to make the Judiciary less political but more publically accountable. At the end of the day, Marylanders trusted elections more than politicians.

Recent Development: Peterson V. State: Limitations On Defense Cross-Examination Are Permitted When The Testimony Lacks A Factual Foundation, Is Overly Prejudicial, Or Has Not Been Adequately Preserved, Meghan E. Ellis

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that the defendant’s right to confrontation was not violated when the defense was precluded from cross-examining a witness about hallucinations and his potential sentence prior to entering into a plea agreement. Peterson v. State, 444 Md. 105, 153-54, 118 A.3d 925, 952-53 (2015). The court found that the defendant failed to preserve the issue of a witness’s expectation of benefit with respect to pending charges, and failed to show sufficient factual foundation for a cross-examination regarding the expectation. Id. at 138-39, 118 A.3d at 944. In addition, the court found that, although not …

Recent Development: Scarfield V. Muntjan: A Jury Demand In An Amended Complaint, Which Is Dismissed For Failure To State A Claim, Does Not Revive A Previously Waived Jury Demand For Counts In The Original Complaint, Thomas Andrew Barnes

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that, while a waived jury trial may be revived by an amended complaint in which new and substantive issues are raised, the dismissal of a new count raised in an amended complaint will not revive the originally waived demand for jury trial.

Recent Development: State V. Waine: A Court May Reopen A Closed Post Conviction Proceeding To Address A Challenge To An Advisory Only Jury Instruction, Ashley N. Nelson-Raut

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that advisory only jury instructions are not harmless error and the Unger v. State precedent should be applied retroactively. State v. Waine, 444 Md. 692, 122 A.3d 294 (2015). In addition, the court held that a defendant’s motion to reopen his or her post-conviction case after the Unger decision met the “interests of justice” standard required for reconsideration of the constitutionality of the defendant’s conviction.

Recent Development: Varriale V. State: The State May Store And Use A Voluntarily Provided Dna Sample And Resultant Profile For Any Future Criminal Investigations, Unless The Suspect Provides An Express Limitation, C. Harris Schlecker

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that when a suspect does not expressly limit consent to DNA testing, the Fourth Amendment does not prevent the State from storing and using his voluntarily provided DNA in later, unrelated criminal investigations.

Recent Development: Williams V. State: A Confession Is Voluntary Unless The Defendant Unambiguously Invokes His Constitutional Right To Remain Silent Or The Confession Is Obtained Through Coercion Or Inducement, Pascale Cadelien

University of Baltimore Law Forum

The Court of Appeals of Maryland held that “I don’t want to say nothing. I don’t know,” is an ambiguous invocation of the right to remain silent. Williams v. State, 445 Md. 452, 455, 128 A.3d 30, 32 (2015). The court reasoned that the defendant’s addition of “I don’t know” to his initial assertion “I don’t want to say nothing” created uncertainty about whether he intended to invoke his right to remain silent. Id. at 477, A.3d at 44. This allowed a reasonable officer to interpret his statement as an “ambiguous request to remain silent.” Id. Furthermore, the officers’ implication …

The Standing Rock Sioux Indians: An Inconvenience For Black Gold, Alina Yohannan

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

The issue of the Native American (“Indian”) tribes’ rights to their lands started with the application of the European doctrine of discovery, continued with series of wars and population decimations, and finished with broken treaties and territorial occupations. After centuries of struggle for land and sovereignty, Indians still fight for their rights to the North American territories.

The lawsuit brought by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“the Corps”) is the latest and most publicized in recent years. The Tribe’s main concerns are the passing of a major crude-oil pipeline (Dakota Access Pipeline, or …

Exciting Changes In Central Baltimore: Examining The Homewood Community Partners Initiative, Gillian Rathbone-Webber

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

The Homewood Community Partners Initiative (HCPI) is one of the newest waves of development based in Baltimore.1 HCPI has a different approach to development than other economic development plans in Baltimore and, in comparison to some failed attempts in other areas of the City, it seems to be working. Baltimore has long suffered from blight, high rates of vacant buildings, and high crime. There have been many previous attempts to address and repair those issues with only some success. HCPI is attempting to mitigate all those issues by way of a community development agenda and a five-part plan.2 While the …

Recent Developments: Are Land Contracts Preying On Low-Income Buyers Or Do They Offer A Different Avenue For Home Ownership?, Christopher Barron

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

As of May 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced an investigation into the practice of land contracts and compliance with federal truth and lending laws. The CFPB’s investigation is in response to the increasing number of reports from organizations, such as the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), condemning land contracts for their predatory nature and disparate impact on low-income buyers, specifically those of color. Furthermore, land contracts have been labeled as “Wall Street’s Toxic Transactions” because of large wall street investment groups utilizing them for their own capital gain. Land contracts have been vilified for luring unsuspecting …

Maryland's Medical Marijuana Law: Transactional And Ethical Perspectives For Real Estate Practitioners, Nicole M. Lacoste Folks, Lawrence F. Haislip, Matthew L. Kimball

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

The congruence between Federal and state laws relating to marijuana, 2 which has existed for generations, is unraveling. In recent years a number of states have reduced or eliminated criminal penalties for the possession or use of small amounts of marijuana;3 twentythree states have established a state law exception for medical marijuana; 4 and Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon now authorize the retail and personal growth, sale and possession of marijuana as a matter of state law.5 Maryland has lately joined the list of states purporting to create exceptions or safe harbors for those wishing to engage in the manufacture, …

University Of Baltimore Journal Of Land And Development Volume 6 Number 1

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

No abstract provided.

Baltimore's Monumental Question: Can The Heightened Social Conscience Against The Confederacy Rewrite The Constitutional Right To Due Process?, Blake Alderman

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

Monuments are preserved in order to remember, educate the public on, and acknowledge the monuments’ historical significance. Maryland’s monuments are designated by two authorities: the Board of the Maryland Historical Trust and smaller municipal commissions.1 The Board examines local monuments to be submitted to the national registry, whereas the smaller commissions are appointed and operate to preserve local Baltimore monuments.2 On June 30, 2015, Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced the creation of a Special Commission to review all Baltimore City Confederate historical monuments.3

The Commission’s appointment stems from a recently heightened national awareness of racism embedded in government culture. …

University Of Baltimore Journal Of Land And Development Volume 5 Number 2 (Spring 2016) Front Matter

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

No abstract provided.

"Zoning" In On Maryland's Nascent Marijuana Industry, Matthew Mccomas

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

Is green the new gold?1 Last year, the marijuana industry pulled in a whopping $2.4 billion.2 To put it in perspective that’s about 74% more than it did the year before.3 As of today, four states (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana.4 But, more so, 23 states have decriminalized medical marijuana, including the State of Maryland in 2013.5

One of the most frequent legal issues in states with medical or recreational marijuana industries concerns where to locate marijuana distribution and production facilities.6 In Maryland, new law states that local municipalities shall determine …

Recent Developments: The Constitutionality Of Regulations And Bans On The Second Amendment, Trevor Shaw

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

The 9th Circuit decided to overturn a local California county zoning ordinance that was infringing upon a citizen’s Second Amendment right to own and operate a gun store. The ordinance stated that any store that sold firearms or operated as a firing range needed to be 500 feet away from the front door of the shop to the front door of school zones, government buildings, residential areas, and other stores that sell firearms. The owners of Valley Guns & Ammo found a place located in Alameda County, just outside the radius and began working on acquiring the property and renovating …

Community Benefits Agreements: To The Extent Possible, Charlotte Clarke

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

The focus of this paper pertains to a relatively new concept known as a Community Benefits Agreement (hereinafter “CBA”). Although this concept was born in the nineties, for the purpose of addressing the impacts of development projects on communities, CBAs recently gained momentum as a result of cities and municipalities becoming increasingly popular for large scale developments such as sports arenas and high rise apartment buildings. At their inception CBAs allowed communities to negotiate directly with developers, and gave communities the opportunity to address problems associated with a development project. CBAs are defined differently depending on whom one asks, however, …

The Privatization Of Law & The Weakening Of Private Right, Jeffrey Kleeger

University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development

Law promises much but does not always deliver. It promises due process, equal protection, equity, and personal autonomy—but many individuals leave litigation uncured. The trend in recent years has been increasing privatization of law coupled with diminution of private right. This paper explores ways to secure private rights despite privatization of law by enhancing the rigor of judicial review of state action. Law is one of several social systems operating in an environment of limited resources. Access to oil and gas is, today, more controversial, difficult, and expensive than ever before because of increased environmental regulations created under the Obama …

Student Comment: Ttip: A Free Trade Agreement That Strengthens The International Trade Environment And Enhances The Regulatory Powers Of The Wto, Suzanne De Deyne

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

This comment discusses the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP or the Partnership), a bi-lateral trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, in relation to the World Trade Organization (WTO). TTIP pushes the world towards greater trade liberalization, and if implemented, such a trade agreement would affect trillions of dollars in existing trade. When trade barriers are reduced, a significant amount of new possibilities open up, especially in regards to potential markets for exports, growth and improvement of competitive products, and reduction in the losses associated the border. Since its establishment, the WTO has sought to establish an …

Globalization, Global Governance, And Challenges To Contemporary Constitutionalism: The (Trans) Constitutional Perspective And The Dialogue Among Jurisdictions, Thaís Vandresen, Maria Cláudia S. Antunes De Souza

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

This article focuses on the challenges facing contemporary constitutionalism before the irreversibility of globalization and the prospect of global governance. The goal of this article is to identify the proposals concerning the development of a global constitutionalism, as well as analyze the limits and possibilities of proposed trans-constitutionalism as an alternative to establish juridical “dialogues” among different legal normative orders. The study is justified, having in mind the need for re-contextualization of contemporary constitutionalism, given the fragility of the concept of sovereignty and the multiplicity of regulatory sources, especially concerning the international protection of human rights. Rationale inductive basis was …

Emerging Issues: Is A Grexit—A Greek Exit From The Eurozone—The Solution?, Ruby Devine

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

“Greece is in its own Great Depression. But unlike the United States, it won’t be able to get back on its feet as quickly[.]”1 For over five years now, Greece has been doddering on the edge of disaster. Receiving its third bailout in five years, Greece is now faced with the task of implementing strict austerity controls that the Greek people have unequivocally rejected. If Greece were to default, one consequence is a Grexit, a Greek exit from the European Union, which many fear would compromise the delicate European system.2 On August 20, 2015, Greece narrowly avoided default on its …

A Case Study: Law And Emotions Within The Kingdom Of The Netherlands, Nanneke Quik-Schuijt, Irene Broekhuijse

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

Whether you are a Christian or not, you cannot deny the truth of the proverb “[a] brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarrelling is like the bars of a castle,”1 especially when you study the constitutional relationship between the Netherlands and its former colonies Aruba, Curacao, and St. Maarten.

The Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten are four countries that together constitute the Kingdom of the Netherlands.2 These countries feel so wronged by one another that emotions often take over. In July 2014, for instance, the Prime Minister of Aruba desperately went on a hunger strike …

Emerging Issues: South China Sea Takeover: Destroying Fisheries And Creating Economic Dead-Lands For Surrounding Coastal States, Aviana Cooper

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

China’s rapid takeover of the South China Sea unequivocally goes against what the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas permits. China’s control has had, and will continue to have disparaging effects on neighboring countries in their shipment of supplies, food, and other materials. The reclamation of the island landmasses in dispute, the Spratly and Paracel islands, by China has grown about 50% since May 2015.1 Presently, China has built a 3,000 foot aircraft runway and reformed many of the coral reefs surrounding the islands into artificial islands for the “future” usage to place buildings and homes for …

University Of Baltimore Journal Of International Law Volume 4 No. 2 (2015-2016) Front Matter

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Empirical Study Of Negotiation In Criminal Proceedings Between Brazil And The United States Of America, Ricardo Gueiros Bernardes Dias

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

The present research aims to understand the law in regards to the types of negotiations performed under the law of criminal procedure and to understand how the discursive practice of lawyers can organize social practices from a comparative empirical perspective of Brazil and the United States of America. Thus, the research comparatively investigates the institutional processes for the establishment of truth before the bodies of the judicial branch in Brazil (metropolitan region of Vitória, ES-Brazil) and in the U.S. (California, San Francisco) and focuses on their differences in their criminal negotiation in the special criminal courts and the institution of …

Emerging Issues: Transcanada V. Obama Administration – 15 Billion For Cancellation Of Keystone Xl Pipeline Project, Aviana Cooper

University of Baltimore Journal of International Law

TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP and TC Oil Pipeline Operations Inc., subsidiaries of TransCanada Corporation (“TransCanada”), lost their seven-year bid with the United States (U.S.) Government for a permit to complete the $5.4 billion oil pipeline connecting Canada and the U.S. On November 6, 2015, President Obama announced that Secretary of State, John Kerry, through powers under Executive Order 13337, had denied the application for a border crossing permit, prohibiting construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline Project. Following this denial, on January 6, 2016, TransCanada filed a complaint to the District Court of Texas against members of the Obama Administration, requesting …