Law Office of Elizabeth A. Lawrence Blog

Legally speaking, no one is required to work with an immigration lawyer in order to become a United States citizen. However, it can certainly make life a lot easier as you embark on one of the largest moves in your life. What traits should you seek out as you search for the ideal immigration lawyer to represent you along this journey?

There are two types of crimes one can be charged with in the state of Maryland: felonies and misdemeanors. As the most serious of the two crimes, felonies are usually attached with more severe and long-lasting consequences. This knowledge can steer individuals towards electing self-representation when faced with a misdemeanor charge. Even though felonies are more serious, any crime has the potential to impact your future and introduce difficulties into your life. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common misdemeanor charges in the state of Maryland, along with their associated outcomes that an experienced criminal attorney can work diligently to reduce or remove altogether.

There are many myths and urban legends surrounding DUI convictions. With over one million DUI arrests made per year, some misinformation is bound to be spread over time. In the aftermath of an arrest, it’s critical to differentiate between these myths and the truth in the interest of securing the best possible outcome for your case. As such, let’s observe the most common misconceptions surrounding Maryland DUI law.

There is a wide range of traffic offenses in the state of Maryland, each with a variety of consequences scaled to the severity of the corresponding offense. Regardless of whether you were involved in a minor infraction or have been accused of a more serious offense, there is no question that anxiety can creep in during the aftermath of a traffic related offense. In this blog, we outline the consequences associated with each level of traffic offenses, and steps you can take to keep those consequences at a minimum.

Back in April, we published a blog post giving an overview of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). There is a chance that SIJS could be a great option for you or your child under the age of 21 who has become undocumented through means outside of their control. To help you gain a deeper understanding of SIJS and whether you may qualify, here are five frequently asked questions about SIJS.

Back in April, we published a blog post outlining The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The post outlined the numerous benefits filing a VAWA case can present to women suffering due to circumstances involving domestic violence. Among these benefits is immigration relief. VAWA offers immigration relief and allows individuals impacted by domestic violence to apply for permanent resident status after receiving VAWA designation. To do so, the affected individual must fill in the VAWA self-petition and subsequently complete an application for adjustment of status based on VAWA. While this sounds excellent on paper, there are a hand full of questions that tend to pop up along the way. In this blog, we’ll answer the most common of them!

If you are a parent or guardian of an undocumented minor, there is a chance the child will qualify for a specific type of immigration status by the name of “Special Immigrant Juvenile Status” (SIJS). In the state of Maryland, SIJS is a great option for individuals under the age of 21 who have become undocumented through means outside of their control. So, what exactly is SIJS and how does one file?

Originally signed back in 1994, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) exists to support victims of domestic violence and ultimately reduce instances of violence and sexual assault. The law expired back in 2019, but it is in the news once again as President Biden recently signed its reauthorization into law. As such, we’ve decided to outline exactly what supports the Violence Against Women Act offers, and how those in need can take advantage.

Earlier this year, we published a blog post all about proving your innocence after a car crash. The advice in that blog was centered around gathering evidence that displayed that the other driver involved was the one at fault. However, the scope of personal injury cases extends well beyond car accidents. As such, we’re circling back and offering a few tips for gathering evidence to support your slip and fall case. 

Distracted driving has become a serious issue across the United States. The NHTSA reports that 26,000 lives were lost from distracted drivers between 2012 and 2019 alone. In the interest of protecting yourself and everyone else on the road, we’ve created this guide to avoid distracted driving complications.