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NEW LOCATION, NEW SERVICES, NOW FULLY OPEN!!

The Circuit Court for Baltimore County Self-Help Office is fully reopened in a new and bigger location with new services! Visit us at our new location in the County Courts Building, 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, MD 21204, 2nd Floor Law Library (rear).

The Office assists self-represented litigants in Family Law cases. The Office can help with Family Law court forms, explain Family Law court processes, and help litigants open, answer and move their Family Law case forward. The Office cannot give legal advice. Assistance is provided in-person, virtually and via email.

Walk -Ins accepted Monday-Thursday, 8:30am – 3:30pm, and on Fridays 8:30am -3:00pm on a first-come, firstserved basis. The Office is closed each day for lunch from noon - 1:00pm.

Self-represented litigants can self-schedule a 30-Minute Virtual Appointment by following this link https://baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/circuit/family/self/self-help or Email the Office with their inquiry at baltcoselfhelp@mdcourts.gov.

NEW SERVICE:

The Circuit Court for Baltimore County Self-Help Office and the Baltimore County Bar Association (BCBA) have partnered to have volunteer lawyers on hand to provide FREE LEGAL ADVICE regarding Family and Civil Law matters on select Wednesdays, in-person by appointment from 9am-3pm. Self-represented litigants can schedule an appointment here: https://baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/circuit/family/self/self-help

VOLUNTEER LAWYERS NEEDED:

The Circuit Court for Baltimore County Self-Help Office and BCBA are seeking volunteer lawyers to meet with selfrepresented litigants by appointment regarding Family and Civil Law matters in person on Wednesdays. Sign up here: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/BCBAVolunteerLawyers@mdcourts.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Email: terrell.warren@mdcourts.gov

Dear Members of the Family Law Bar:

Greetings. On behalf of the Baltimore County Circuit Court Bench and Family Magistrates, I invite you to add your name to the list of counsel for appointment as a Best Interest Attorney, Child Privilege Attorney and Child Advocate. We are seeing a tremendous need to have attorneys involved as a BIA or Privilege Attorney in our domestic matters at present. While at times challenging, effective representation of a minor child or children is often extremely rewarding and it pays in ways not just tied to financial compensation. As a BIA, you have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the child or children that you are representing, whether by sh ielding them from the toxicity of litigation between their parents; answering questions or giving a voice to an older child; or helping to resolve the matter amicably in a way that the parties’ respective counsel may not be able to do under the circumstances. At other times, parents cannot afford inde pendent counsel, do not know how to effectively represent themselves and the child or children are struggling mightily in a high conflict case. On these occasions, a quality BIA, Advocate or Privilege Attorney can be invaluable to the family. Of course, involvement in these family law cases gives our newer members of the Ba r a chance to be in the courtroom an d affords the judges and magistrates an opportunity to become familiar with our newer members of the Bar.

To apply, you must meet the following qualifications:

1. Successfully complete the specific six-hours of training for being a Child’s Best Interest Attorney, Child Advocate Attorney and/or Child ’s Privilege Attorney;

2. Have at least three (3) years of Fam ily Law experience or other relevant experience;

3. Maintain professional liability insurance, at the Attorney ’s sole cost and expense; and

4. Be willing to take at least one (1) pro bono/court-funded appointment as child counsel per year.

Please send your written request to be included and a copy of your resume to Family Support Services Coordinator at 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, Maryland 21204.

If you have already added your name to the court appointed coun sel roster, thank you. We recognize that you are often ext remely busy. Please, however, use every effort to ensure that you are taking your one pro bono case or court pay ($250 per hour maximum of $3500 for BIA appointments) per year as required to be on the list. Designated judges and Family Support Services do keep track of these appointments so I can promise that y ou will not be asked to undertake more than one pro bono case. Of course, these hours can be used for your aspirational pro bono hours requested of practicing attorneys in the State of Maryland.

Thank you for your consideration of the above requests and enjoy the remainder of the summer.

Catherine Woods, Family Magistrate

BCBA Events

Stated Meeting

The June Stated Meeting of the Baltimore County Bar Association (BCBA) occurred on June 21, 2023, beginning at 4:30 p.m. The meeting was held in Ceremonial Courtroom No. 5 of the Old Courthouse. Outgoing president, John G. Turnbull III, Jr., called the meeting to order. On motion, duly seconded, minutes of the February 16, 2023, Stated Meeting were approved. The treasurer, Richard Grason VI, presented a detailed report and noted that the BCBA remains in financial order although tasked with the need to increase membership. President Turnbull announced just under $10,000.00 was presented to the Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, BCBA’s charity for the 2022-23 bar year.

The balance of the meeting primarily consisted of reports from the standing committees. During the committee reports, the ADR committee submitted a written report by Laura Wasserman; the Advocate committee (Hon. Tracee Orlove Fruman) reminded committees to submit an article for each committee event; Bench Bar (Adam Smith) reported they are looking forward to working with the Honorable Dennis Robinson, the new administrative judge; CLE committee (Michael Jacko) reported their common grammar program on the zoom platform was well attended; the Criminal Law committee (Stuart Schadt) reported on their successful Guns and Drugs program series and changes in the law; the DEI committee (Honorable Michael Siri) reported on another successful year of placing six highly qualified candidates in Baltimore County law firms; the Entertainment committee reported on their new location event was a success; the Family Law committee (Kerri Cohen) reported about the twelve robust programs including the legislative update and happy hour to welcome judges entering the family law rotation; the Historical committee (Mark Desimone) reported on upcoming programming to include the biography of Thurgood Marshall and prohibition authors presentation; Law Day committee (Shannon Boisseau) reported that the annual Law Day program on May 2nd was a success; Membership and Admissions committee submitted a written report; Memorial committee (Christine Malanga) report recognized the Honorable Judith Ensor for her work as the chair; Professionalism committee (Hon. Mike Barranco) reported programming on Trauma, Compassion and Resiliency and Deborah Cruz instrumental influence for the successful year; and Young Lawyers committee (Alex Walsh) reported on the committee’s first field day.

The results of the election of officers for the 2023-24 bar year were announced. BCBA Officers for the 2023- 24 Bar Year include: Lisa Y. Settles, president; Sondra M. Douglas, president-elect; Richard Grason VI, secretary;

BCBA Events

J. Walsh, Young Lawyers’ representative and President Turnbull, III, immediate past president.

Following a recount of his year at the helm, President Turnbull presented the gavel to incoming bar president, Lisa Y. Settles, who offered a genuine and heartfelt speech that included a story of her journey to the presidency and commitment to the bar. While casting her vision for the coming year, President Settles reminded us of our mission as detailed in our strategic plan and “together we will become who we say we are.” President Settles introduced her choice for the BCBA’s charity for the 2023-24 bar year, the American Cancer Society. This charity has a personal meaning for President Settles as she shared her personal journey of her encounter with a cancer diagnosis, which she conquered years ago.

On motion, duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned. A happy hour followed at Barley’s Backyard Bar and Grill.

– Sondra M. Douglas, Esquire