Openly gay, College Park Mayor Patrick Wojahn was a progressive Democrat rising star – with over two decades of support for environmental causes, marriage equality, and civil rights – before he resigned upon his arrest on March 2nd, 2023, facing charges for collecting and reposting allegedly illegal sexually-explicit images of boys he’d found on the internet. Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisah Braveboy crafted indictments that threatened the former mayor with 360 years in prison. Wojahn has been locked up in the county jail since his arrest. Usually defendants caught simply possessing and sharing illegal internet images – most of […]
Black lesbian files federal wrongful termination suit
Pottsville, Pennsylvania – A Pottsville African-American lesbian filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in federal court last month, claiming she was fired from her job as a nursing assistant after using female pronouns to refer to her life partner during a workplace conversation. “Jane Doe” filed suit in the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Saber Healthcare Group on September 28th. She’s seeking in excess of $150,000 in damages. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani, based in Scranton. A jury trial has been requested. In September 2022, Doe, 25, began working for Saber as a certified […]
Carl Nassib, first out active NFL player, is eager to help
Tampa Bay, Florida – Carl Nassib is the first openly gay active NFL player. In 2021, as a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders, he made headlines by coming out after five seasons in the pros. Nassib was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, to a family of football enthusiasts. His father played at the University of Delaware. His older brother played in the NFL. Nassib excelled in high school sports, lettering in football, basketball, and track and field. His love of athletics and exceptional success fueled his dream of one day playing professional sports. At Penn State University he […]
Lesbian bar target of arsonist
San Diego, California – Gossip Grill, a queer women’s bar in San Diego, was targeted by an arsonist at about 12:30 a.m. Friday, October 20th,, according to a post on social media. By about 1:45 that afternoon, according to NBC 7, police had a suspect in custody. NBC 7 reports that police found the suspect, 38-year-old Ryan Habrel, near the scene Friday afternoon and arrested him on charges of arson to a commercial structure and the use of an accelerant. Police said the investigation is ongoing but that there is no indication so far that the fire was a hate […]
North Dakota wages war on LGBTQ+ communities
Bismarck – Emily Chudy writes for PinkNews that North Dakota legislators have been widely criticized for passing a record-setting ten anti-LGBTQ+ bills in one day. The state senate passed all ten bills on April 3rd, with eight now headed to the desk of North Dakota’s Republican governor Doug Burgum, where they will either be signed into law or vetoed. Two have been returned to the state’s House of Representatives after having amendments added. The raft of horrifying legislation includes bans on trans students joining sports teams that match their gender identity, sweeping bans on gender-affirming healthcare for young people, and […]
LGBTQ Families and the Law
Jonathan Lane of JD Lane Law gets many questions about polyamory and the law as a lawyer who represents clients with diverse sexual practices and identities in Maryland and DC. In this workshop he will address a wide range of topics, including the following: Is polyamory legal? What can I do to protect the rights my partner and I have during our relationship? How can I protect myself in case we break up? Can my kids be taken away from me because I’m poly? Why should I consider hiring an LGBTQ-friendly lawyer? In addition to these questions and many more […]
What the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 Could Mean for You
There’s a lot of debate on whether the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 will help grow our economy or add trillions in debt to the federal balance sheet. While only time will tell the true impact on the US economy, most of our clients are more concerned about the bottom-line impact on their personal taxes. At first blush, it appears some of our clients may see tax savings while others may wind up with more taxes due. To help give you an idea of how this could impact your taxes, I’ve listed several items that stand out to […]
Are Death Taxes Themselves Deceased?
When newspapers reported about the demise of Mark Twain, the American author and humorist quipped that “rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” More than a century later, the same could be said of the federal estate tax, which is effectively defunct for all but the richest Americans.
Military Service for Noncitizens
Persons who wish to serve in the US military and are not citizens can do so if they are lawful permanent residents (have a green card). Or can they? While the websites for the US military all claim that anyone with a green card is at least eligible to apply to join, the reality is that since October 2017, the active duty military, as well as the reserve units, cannot allow someone who is not a citizen of the US to enlist. The reason for such a policy is that Gen. Anthony Kurta, who has been nominated to be the […]
What is Discovery?
Discovery is a term used to describe the process that permits each party to obtain evidence related to their case. It usually takes place shortly after a plaintiff files his or her complaint. Maryland rules allow for different forms of discovery. The two most common forms of discovery are Requests for Answers to Interrogatories and Requests for Production of Documents.