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Who Can You Take Legal Action Against After a Birth Injury?

2026-08-18 00:00:00

Pregnancy, and labor and delivery, can involve serious complications, even when doctors and nurses give both mother and baby diligent care. A difficult pregnancy or birth, or even a tragic outcome, does not necessarily mean a provider did anything wrong.

Yet, medical malpractice does happen during pregnancy and in labor and delivery wards, and the consequences can be devastating. If you or your child suffered a serious birth injury in 2026, Silverman Thompson’s team of experienced Howard County, MD personal injury attorneys can help you understand who may be legally responsible. We provide compassionate legal service to families during sensitive times and are relentlessly focused on holding careless providers responsible.

Can You Sue the Doctor for a Birth Injury?

An obstetrician is the doctor responsible for the pregnancy and for delivering babies. Obstetricians make important decisions, including when and how to intervene when things aren’t going right. A birth injury claim might involve a doctor who:

Could Your Social Media Posts Be Used Against You During a Maryland Divorce or Custody Case?

2026-08-13 00:00:00

So many of us use social media every day that we don’t think twice about what we’re sharing. It’s a natural place to update friends and family about important life events or share photos from trips and social events.

Although social media can feel casual, during a divorce and really in most types of litigation, posts and photos can be used as evidence. A picture from a vacation, a post about a new car, or location tags at expensive restaurants may tell a different financial story from the one someone is presenting in court, even if it is not completely accurate.

Exercising caution about social media is important – both during the divorce itself and even in the aftermath - especially when parties disagree about income, alimony, or child support. And your social media posts can potentially remain just as relevant months or years later if one spouse or co-parent asks the court to change an existing order.

Supreme Court of Maryland Grants Certiorari Review in Silverman Thompson Business Law Case

2026-08-06 00:00:00

In July 2026, Bill Sinclair, Todd Hesel and Christopher Mincher persuaded the Supreme Court of Maryland to grant certiorari review on behalf of our client, Henry Porter, in a dispute over his ouster from an LLC he co-founded and co-owned.

Certiorari review is the mechanism through which the Maryland Supreme Court grants discretionary review of decisions by the Maryland intermediate appellate court. Although certiorari review is relatively rare — roughly four out of every five petitions are denied — our client’s case marks the third consecutive year in which Silverman Thompson will argue before the Maryland Supreme Court.

This case began in 2018 when Mr. Porter’s fellow board members and co-owners voted him out of their LLC, which operated a medical marijuana dispensary. A dispute over the legitimacy of that ouster led Mr. Porter’s co-founders to sue him, and to a countersuit by Mr. Porter. The lawsuits culminated in a 17-day bench trial over the summer of 2021 and a declaratory judgment affirming our client’s dissociation from the LLC.

Can You Remove Squatters Without a Wrongful Detainer Action in Baltimore?

2026-08-01 00:00:00

Recent Maryland news reports have shared stories of private contractors who try to evict squatters and/or unauthorized occupants of residential property through what they describe as "street justice." Tactics include removing doors or windows, towing vehicles, and otherwise trying to pressure the occupants into leaving.

For property owners, landlords and/or residential property management companies, these methods create serious legal and safety risks. Even when occupants have no legal right to be in a home or apartment, there is major risk when a property manager contracts a third party to force people out without using the legal system.

When police refuse to remove someone from a property because the person falsely claims residency or shows police a fabricated lease, the best response is usually a wrongful detainer action. A Baltimore landlord-tenant dispute attorney can help landlords and management companies decide which legal avenues are best to get back possession of your property.

How Do You Challenge a Will Based on Undue Influence in Maryland?

2026-07-21 00:00:00

Edward P. Parent, Partner at Silverman Thompson, Fiduciary Litigation Practice

A sudden or unexpected change to a loved one’s will raises serious questions. Perhaps one family member received nearly everything after becoming deeply involved in the deceased person’s care. Maybe the new will was signed while the deceased person was sick, isolated, or vulnerable.

These situations do not automatically prove someone did anything wrong. However, they may support a claim that a will was created through undue influence.

Undue influence occurs when someone uses pressure or control to overcome another person’s free choice when writing a will. The final will then reflects what the influencer wanted, rather than the true wishes of the person who died.

If you are facing a case involving allegations of undue influence on a will or other part of an estate plan in 2026, speak with a Baltimore probate litigation lawyer at Silverman Thompson right away.

When Can You Sue a Maryland Hospital for an Early Discharge?

2026-07-16 00:00:00

Hospitals don’t need to keep every patient until every symptom gets better. Still, they need to take care before sending a patient home. A hospital should review the patient’s condition, test results, and vital signs. There should be a careful assessment of the patient’s likely ability to recover safely outside the hospital.

If hospital or emergency room staff send a patient home before it’s safe and the patient is seriously hurt or dies as a result, it could be hospital malpractice. These cases are difficult, though, because a bad outcome alone doesn’t prove malpractice occurred.

Several critical questions need to be answered: Did the hospital provide the level of care that they should have? Were there clear signs that the patient needed further critical care? Did hospital staff adequately communicate with each other when discharging the patient?

Can You Get a Default Judgment Vacated in Virginia?

2026-07-11 00:00:00

A default judgment can put a property or business at serious risk. When a defendant fails to respond to a lawsuit or appear in court on time, the court may decide the case without hearing that party’s side of the case. Depending on the dispute, the judgment could impose substantial financial liability, allow a creditor to seize assets, or even place commercial property at risk of foreclosure.

Fortunately, a default judgment is not always the end of a case. A property owner may be able to ask the court to vacate the judgment, but Virginia’s deadlines are exceptionally strict.

Silverman Thompson’s Virginia practice recently obtained an order vacating a default judgment on a mechanic’s lien action that threatened a valuable 15-story office building. Attorney Pierce Murphy was retained late in the afternoon on the twentieth day after the judgment had been entered. He quickly prepared and filed the motion the next morning, arguing that Virginia Code §43-20 does not allow a court to place a mechanic’s lien against a property owner if the owner’s tenant was the party who ordered the work giving rise to the lien, and that the resulting judgment was void.

Getting Ready for the Start of the School Year When You Share Custody

2026-07-07 00:00:00

For many parents of young children, it can feel like summer has only just begun when suddenly it’s time to start thinking about going back to school. When divorced parents share custody, back-to-school season can bring tricky questions about school supplies, extracurricular activities, parent-teacher conferences, holidays, and who is responsible for paying different expenses. Even simple issues can feel like a landmine of potential conflict.

The best way to prevent unnecessary fighting is to deal with these issues as much as you can before the school year gets going. Even with careful planning, however, disagreements about sensitive family circumstances cannot always be resolved privately.

Here are some things to consider doing before the 26-27 school year starts. Our Annapolis family law attorneys can help you understand your rights and, if necessary, provide guidance and support in potential legal options such as petitioning for a child custody modification, filing for contempt or enforcement, complying with mediation provisions, or seeking a parent coordinator.

Can You Still Be Charged with Assault if the Alleged Victim Doesn’t Want to Press Charges?

2026-07-03 00:00:00

If you were arrested for assault and the other person involved has already said they do not want to move forward with pressing charges, you may wonder if it’s possible for the whole thing to just go away. Unfortunately, that is not how the law works in Maryland.

The short answer is that you can still be charged and prosecuted for assault even if the alleged victim does not want to press charges. That might feel unfair or confusing, but understanding why this happens can help you plan what to do next with clear expectations. Our criminal defense attorneys are here to help.

Who Actually Decides to Bring Assault Charges in Maryland?

In Maryland, the decision to charge someone with a crime does not belong to the alleged victim. It belongs to the State. Once police get involved, whether through a 911 call, a report at the scene, or an officer witnessing an incident, the case becomes the State's case. It’s not just a private dispute between two people anymore. The local State's Attorney's Office decides whether to file charges, even if the alleged victim doesn’t want them to.

Two New Maryland Licensing Laws Took Effect June 1, 2026: What Every Licensed Maryland Professional Should Know

2026-06-04 16:22:59

Two pieces of Maryland legislation affecting licensed professionals took effect on June 1, 2026. One significantly expands the criminal background check requirements across healthcare professions; the other preserves a different set of occupational licensing boards from sunset for another seven years. For licensed Maryland professionals across both groups, the practical consequences are immediate.

What HB1420 Does — Criminal History Records Checks for Health Occupations

HB1420 establishes and alters criminal history records check (CHRC) requirements for a broad range of health occupations boards. The bill unanimously passed the Maryland House and Senate, and took effect on June 1, 2026. The full text is available on the Maryland General Assembly’s bill detail page and the chapter text is linked here.