Maryland is located in the Mid Atlantic region and is near Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.  The most populated city in Maryland is Baltimore, and next is Annapolis.  Maryland’s name was derived from Queen Henrietta Maria.  Some nicknames for the state include “the Chesapeake Bay State,” “the Old Line State,” and “the Free State.”

Maryland’s State Government conducts itself under the rules of the Maryland State Constitution. The Maryland Government possesses sole authority over issues completely within the state, except as circumscribed by the U.S. Constitution.  The governor of Maryland has more power over the state budget than most other state governors in the nation.  In addition, Maryland counties enjoy more independence than the majority of those in the U.S.

Maryland’s judicial system provides for one U.S. District Court in every county and Baltimore City; furthermore, there is a Maryland Circuit Court in every County and Baltimore City.  Maryland’s intermediate appellate court is called the Court of Special Appeals, and Maryland’s highest state court is called the Court of Appeals.  Maryland’s Court of Appeals judges are the only state judges in the country to don red robes.

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In 1819, the U.S. Supreme Court used the Necessary-and-Proper Clause to strike down a Maryland law that imposed a tax on all bank notes chartered outside the state, thereby curbing Maryland’s efforts to hamper a federal bank’s operations.  McCulloch v. Maryland solidified the Federal government’s power to enact laws not explicitly set forth in the Constitution, so long as they furthered express powers.

There are many lawyers that hold active licenses to practice law in Maryland.  Maryland does not require its lawyers to complete ongoing legal education; however, you can find lawyers who have maintained excellent credentials by using LegalMatch.com, a free attorney locator service.  LegalMatch professionals do background checks on lawyers handling all sorts of cases, including divorce, personal injury, and employment discrimination.

Below are additional resources on Maryland’s legal processes and procedures:

• The Maryland State Law Library
• The Maryland State Bar Association
• The Maryland Legal Aid Bureau