SDAT OVERVIEW FOR MARYLAND BUSINESSES Anyone doing or planning to do business in Maryland should be familiar with the State Department of Assessments & Taxation ("SDAT"). As a broad overview, SDAT governs business formation and taxation. The SDAT website, http://www.dat.maryland.gov, provid...
ADVERSE POSSESSION Adverse possession seems to be a particularly unusual legal right. In simple terms, it provides that a person who does not have legal title to a property can obtain it under specified circumstances. The legal require...
There are a series of steps involved in recording a deed in Maryland. While the overall process is uniform, counties can differ in the technical requirements and costs. A deed to be recorded can be prepared by an attorney licensed in Maryland or by one of the parties named in the deed...
Eminent domain occurs when the state takes an owner's real property for public use. The process is called condemnation. This seems unusual to many. Why, they ask, can the government take my property? It's not that simple and there are safeguards in place to protect an owner facing condemnation. ...
Did you know that you can record a judgment from another state in Maryland? Through a simple procedure a recorded out of state judgment becomes legally enforceable in Maryland, increasing your options for collection and satisfaction of a judgment. To record a fi...
HOWARD COUNTY ZONING VIOLATIONS What should you do if you get a zoning violation notice in Howard County? First, some background on the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning ("DPZ") is useful. DPZ's stated mission is: "To create collaborative, innovative plans and implem...
A historic preservation easement is a type of conservation easement designed to protect a significant historic, archaeological, or cultural resource. An easement is an agreement between a property owner and another party which limits certain rights of the owner. Preservation easements entered int...
Europe's High Court heard a suit brought by Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli against Franz Hauswirth GmbH over a trademark for their gold-foiled chocolate Easter bunny. According to Reuters, "Hauswirth argued Lindt was using its trademark to quash competition unfairly. It said chocolate bunnie...
From the Baltimore Sun: Merriweather Post Pavilion adjusts request for noise limits
Our practice areas include zoning law and liquor license applications. Interestingly, Baltimore City is undergoing an update of its zoning code and a proposal has been made to eliminate liquor stores which had previously been allowed to operate as a nonconforming use in areas where the zoning pro...
From the Baltimore Sun: Proposed legislation would make residents members of CA
Zoning or rezoning in Howard County is primarily conducted in two ways. Approximately every ten years, the County Council undergoes a legislative process called comprehensive zoningduring which county officials review the entire county zoning map, hold hearings, and, ultimately, making ...
From the Tampa Bay Times: New Tampa homeowner wins judgment against homeowners association
Howard County's Department of Planning and Zoning announced today that it will launch the countywide rezoning process and will be accepting proposals for zoning map and regulation amendments between October 15 and December 14, 2012. For more information, see the announcement sent out by the count...
This past April, Maryland passed a law approving corkage. Corkage is the practice of bringing your own wine to a restaurant that already has a wine menu. Corkage allows patrons to enjoy a wine that is not already stocked by the restaurant. This differs from some Baltimore restaurants BYOB practic...
From explorehoward.com: Proposed residential development in North Laurel gets mixed reviews
From Explore Howard: 185 homes planned where Route 29 ends in Ellicott City
I am frequently asked by small business owners what their responsibility is as to collecting sales tax from purchases generated by their websites. An online presence is different from a bricks and mortar storefront, and business owners may suddenly find themselves fulfilling orders for customers...
From the Baltimore Sun: CA weighs putting Symphony Woods Project on Hold
From the Baltimore Sun - Howard Hughes Corp. buys former Ryland Group headquarters in Columbia
Columbia/Ellicott City drops to No. 8 in 'Best Places to Live' rankings. http://t.co/yuYW0jMQ via @explorehoward -- The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun)
From the Baltimore Sun: Glenwood church gets zoning exception from Board of Appeals
On April 26, 2012, the Maryland Court of Appeals held in Tracey v. Solesky that anyone with the ability to limit the presence on their property of a pit bull or mixed-breed pit bull is subject to strict liability in the event that the dog bites a human. This is a drastic departure from the previo...
From the Baltimore Sun: Groceries seeking ways around wine sales ban
From the Baltimore Sun: Wegman's Liquor License Hearing
