Oral arguments in the Syed case are set for the morning of June 9. I have been receiving a lot of questions about how the appeal will proceed. Here are the answers, as best as I can give: Q: Is the hearing open to the public? A: Yes. However, there is limited seating capacity. As…
We recently came across some statistics regarding how frequently the Maryland Court of Special Appeals grants an Application for Leave to Appeal (ALA). As you recall, Adnan Syed, after losing his post-conviction proceeding, filed an ALA. Essentially, in the ALA, Syed asked the Court for permission to file an appeal. This was necessary because a…
It is highly probable that the six officers charged in Freddie Gray’s death will attempt to have the case removed from Baltimore City. A change of venue would be based on the obvious: with a unprecedented amount of public attention following Gray’s death, it will be almost impossible to find unbiased jurors in Baltimore City….
Amidst the turmoil following Freddy Gray’s death, a significant change in law is about to take place that will make it easier for victims of police brutality to recover compensation. The Maryland Legislature recently passed a bill that will increase to $400,000 from $200,000 the cap on damages that can be collected against negligent police…
Remember when it looked like the Fourth Circuit was on the brink of a significant change? When, after Obama got his nominees on the court, it would go from being super conservative to progressive? Well, that day has not yet come. The court today issued a major opinion that is heartbreaking for a class of…
Click here to read Syed’s Opening Brief with the Court of Special Appeals, filed 3/23/15: APPELLANT’S BRIEF…
The Firm won a major victory in a state post-conviction proceeding early this year. The client, who we will call CM, was convicted of murder about 10 years ago, and sentenced to life with all but 50 years suspended. The facts were cloudy at best, and CM maintained his innocence. Because it is extremely difficult…
The Firm today filed a supplement to its appeal in the Adnan Syed case today. The full filing can be found here: Syed Supplement FINAL….
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals this month issued a disappointing en banc opinion in U.S. v. Whiteside. At issue was whether Whiteside could obtain relief from a sentence in which he had been wrongly classified as a career offender. The panel held that he could not get relief because his petition was filed too late. The…
The ACLU has filed a amicus brief in a case being handled by the Law Office of C. Justin Brown. The case, United States v. Harrison, presents a cutting-edge legal issue: whether Baltimore City Police violated the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights when it used a Stingray device to track his phone. (Click HERE to read…
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