Maryland Laws
130 articles · page 2 of 3
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Maryland Knife Laws (2026): Concealed vs. Open Carry Rules
Maryland bans concealing certain knives outright but requires intent to injure for open carry. See the school, sale, and preemption rules too.
Maryland Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
Maryland landlord-tenant laws: 1-month deposit cap, 45-day return, interest required, 24-hour entry notice (HB 1076 Oct 2025), 5% late-fee cap, local rent control.
Maryland Landlord-Tenant Recording Laws: Cameras, Audio, and Privacy (2026)
Maryland landlord-tenant recording laws restrict cameras in rental properties. Landlords face felony charges for audio recording without consent and misdemeanors for hidden cameras.
Maryland Laws on Recording in Public: Rights, Limits, and Exceptions (2026)
Maryland allows silent video recording in public but requires all-party consent for audio. Learn public recording rights, the Graber case, and pending reform legislation.
Maryland Laws on Recording Police: Your Rights and Limits (2026)
Maryland law protects your right to record police in public. Learn about the Graber case, body camera rules under ss 10-402(c)(11), and how to record officers safely.
Maryland Lemon Law (2026): How to Qualify & Get a Refund
Maryland's lemon law covers new vehicles with defects that can't be fixed in 24 months or 18,000 miles. Learn the 4-repair presumption, 15% refund cap, and how to file.
Maryland License Plate Reader (ALPR) Laws (2026)
Maryland ALPR law under Public Safety 3-509: police-use limits, no-sale and no-upload rules, audits, records bar, penalties, and State Police report data.
Maryland Manslaughter Laws: Voluntary, Involuntary, Vehicular (2026)
Maryland manslaughter is a common-law felony punishable by up to 10 years under Criminal Law 2-207. Vehicle and DUI deaths have their own statutory penalties.
Maryland Marriage and Divorce Records: Verification vs the Decree
Maryland Vital Records issues marriage certificates from 2007 and divorce verifications, but the decree comes from the Circuit Court. Fees and how to order.
Maryland Marriage License Requirements 2026: Fees, Wait, Age
How to get a Maryland marriage license in 2026: apply in the county where you marry, the 6 a.m. second-day effective rule, county fees, age 17 rules and officiants.
Maryland Medical Recording Laws: Patient Rights, HIPAA, and Consent (2026)
Maryland medical recording laws require all-party consent under ss 10-402 plus HIPAA compliance. Learn rules for recording doctor visits, telehealth, and medical facilities.
Maryland Medical Records Retention Laws (2026 Guide)
Maryland medical records retention laws: how long hospitals and doctors keep your records, HIPAA rules, and patient rights.
Maryland Minimum Wage 2026: $15.00 Statewide, Higher in 3 Counties
Maryland minimum wage is $15.00 per hour in 2026 and stays $15.00 in 2027. See Montgomery, Howard and Prince George's rates, tipped pay and how to file a claim.
Maryland Name Change Laws: Rule 15-901 and the Circuit Court Petition
Maryland name changes go through Circuit Court under Maryland Rule 15-901, with a separate, simpler path to restore a name after divorce.
Maryland Noise Laws: Decibel Limits, Quiet Hours and Fines (2026)
Maryland limits home noise to 65 dBA by day and 55 dBA at night, enforced by counties and cities. Disorderly conduct, car stereo, exhaust and noise camera rules.
Maryland Non-Compete Laws (2026): Are Non-Competes Enforceable?
Maryland voids non-competes for low-wage workers, many health care workers earning $350,000 or less, and vets; others must be reasonable under Becker v. Bailey.
Maryland Nursing Home Camera Laws (2026): Vera's Law Guidance
Maryland has no statutory right to a nursing home camera. Vera's Law only directs the state to issue voluntary guidelines, and a 2025 bill to create a real right died without a vote.
Maryland Open Container Law (2026): Statute and Penalty
Maryland bans open containers for every occupant, and drinking for passengers only, under Criminal Law Section 10-125. Read the rule, exemptions, and penalty.
Maryland Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
Maryland names pepper mace only in its open-carry-with-intent offense, not concealed carry, and gates stun guns by an age-and-clean-record rule. See both.
Maryland Phone Call Recording Laws: Consent Rules for Calls (2026)
Maryland requires all-party consent to record phone calls under ss 10-402. Learn rules for personal calls, business calls, interstate calls, and VoIP recording.
Maryland Police Bodycam Laws (2026): Mandate, Retention & Access
Maryland required all county police to use body cameras by July 1, 2025. See the statute, retention rules, and how to request footage.
Maryland Pornography Laws (2026): Legal Status & Penalties
Maryland allows adult private possession, bans obscenity distribution, and has no age-verification law. CSAM (under-16), NCII, and penalties explained.
Maryland Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
Maryland General and Limited Power of Attorney Act (Est. & Trusts §§ 17-101 to 17-204): durable by default, notary plus two witnesses required for execution, health care decisions require a separate advance directive under Health-General §§ 5-601 et seq.
Maryland Prenuptial Agreement Laws: Cannon and Enforceability (2026)
Maryland judges prenups under case law: Cannon v. Cannon (2005) asks whether there was overreaching. See the disclosure, counsel and alimony-waiver rules.
Maryland Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
Maryland probate explained: the Orphans' Court process, intestate succession, small estate thresholds, and Maryland's dual estate and inheritance tax.
Maryland Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
Maryland property records run through the Circuit Court Clerk, a judicial-branch office. Learn how to search deeds statewide via mdlandrec.net and SDAT.
Maryland Public Information Act: Deadlines, Fees, and the Two-Stage Appeal
Maryland PIA explained: the 30-day determination deadline, the 10 working day notice rule, fee waivers, and appeals via the Ombudsman and PIA Compliance Board.
Maryland Punitive Damages Laws: Actual Malice, Caps and Rules
Maryland allows punitive damages on clear and convincing proof of actual malice (Zenobia). There is no general cap, and the noneconomic cap excludes them.
Maryland Quitclaim Deed: Requirements, Recording and Transfer Tax
Maryland quitclaim deed rules: acknowledgment and preparer certification, the intake sheet, recording with the circuit court clerk, and transfer tax exemptions.
Maryland Reckless Driving Laws: Penalties, Points and Speed (2026)
Maryland reckless driving (Transp. 21-901.1) is a misdemeanor with 6 points. Since Oct. 1, 2025 it carries up to 60 days and covers driving 30+ mph over the limit.
Maryland Recording Laws (2026): All-Party Consent Rules
Maryland is an all-party consent state. Recording without every participant's consent is a felony under Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 10-402: up to 5 years, $10,000 fine.
Maryland Restraining Order Laws (2026): Protective Orders and Peace Orders
Maryland Protective Orders (domestic) vs. Peace Orders (non-domestic): who qualifies, how long each lasts, how to file, firearm rules, and violation penalties.
Maryland Ring Doorbell Laws: What You Need to Know in 2026
Maryland is an all-party consent state where recording audio without every party's consent is a felony. Learn about Md. Code 10-402, penalties, reform bills, and legal tips.
Maryland Scam and Fraud Laws: Where to Report, Your Right to Sue (2026)
Maryland lets a person who lost money to a practice its Consumer Protection Act bans sue for that loss. Where to report, elder bank holds, crypto ATM limits.
Maryland School Recording Laws: Students, Teachers, and Campus Rules (2026)
Maryland school recording laws apply the all-party consent wiretapping statute on campus. Learn rules for students, teachers, security cameras, IEP meetings, and FERPA.
Maryland Security Camera Laws: Home, Business, and HOA Rules (2026)
Maryland security camera laws allow silent video surveillance but restrict audio recording under ss 10-402. Learn rules for home cameras, Ring doorbells, and business systems.
Maryland Self-Defense Laws: Duty to Retreat & Castle Doctrine (2026)
Maryland is a duty-to-retreat state by common law. Learn how the castle doctrine, perfect vs. imperfect self-defense, and civil immunity rules work in Maryland (2026).
Maryland Severance Pay Laws (2026): Is Severance Required?
Maryland does not require severance. See the 60-day layoff notice law, when promised severance counts as wages, and how severance cuts unemployment benefits.
Maryland Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Understand Maryland's sexting laws: criminal penalties for adults and minors, revenge porn laws, and defenses available under Maryland law.
Maryland Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability in a Pure-Contributory State
Maryland slip and fall law: pure contributory negligence bars all recovery for even 1% fault, open-and-obvious is an absolute duty bar, 3-year SOL, 1-year government notice.
Maryland Small Claims Court: $5,000 Limit, Fees and How to File
Maryland District Court hears small claims up to $5,000. The $44 filing fee, service, the Notice of Intention to Defend, appeals and collecting a judgment.
Maryland Small Estate Affidavit? How the $50,000 Small Estate Works
Maryland has no small estate affidavit. Estates of $50,000 or less ($100,000 to a sole spouse) open with the Register of Wills, with no fee. Here is how.
Maryland Smart Glasses Recording Laws 2026
Maryland requires all-party consent to record audio. Learn when smart glasses are legal in Maryland, the felony penalty under § 10-402, and voyeurism rules.
Maryland Social Security Disability: Rates & Wait Times
Social Security disability in Maryland: no general SSI cash supplement, automatic Medicaid on SSI approval, approval odds, and the Baltimore hearing wait.
Maryland Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
Maryland requires 20 years of adverse possession under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-103. Learn the elements, removal process, and 2025 law changes for squatters in Maryland.
Maryland Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
Maryland statute of limitations: 3 years for personal injury and contracts, 12 years for sealed instruments, no limit on murder. Full civil and criminal deadlines.
Maryland Surveillance Camera Laws: What You Need to Know (2026)
Learn Maryland surveillance camera laws for homes, workplaces, and nanny cams. Covers all-party audio consent, hidden cameras, penalties, and neighbor disputes.
Maryland Theft Laws: Felony Threshold, Penalties and Shoplifting (2026)
In Maryland, theft of $1,500 or more is a felony. See the value tiers, repeat-offender rule, organized retail theft and the merchant demand-letter process.
Maryland Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
Maryland Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Md. Code, Com. Law §§ 11-1201 to 11-1209): trade secret definition, misappropriation, 3-year deadline, and DTSA overlay.
Maryland Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Maryland holds $2.7 billion in unclaimed property and now auto-pays small claims under $5,000. Search free at claimitmd.gov and see how Quick Pay works.
Maryland Unemployment Benefits 2026: $430 Max, Eligibility, Filing
Maryland unemployment pays $50 to $430 a week for up to 26 weeks, with $8 per child inside the cap. See who is eligible, work search rules, how to file and appeal.
Maryland Video Recording Laws: Surveillance Rules and Privacy Limits (2026)
Maryland video recording laws allow silent video in public but require all-party consent when audio is captured. Learn surveillance rules, penalties, and exceptions.
Maryland Voyeurism and Hidden Camera Laws: Penalties and Protections (2026)
Maryland voyeurism laws under Criminal Law ss 3-902 and ss 3-903 prohibit hidden cameras in private places. Learn penalties, revenge porn rules, and victim protections.
Maryland Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Maryland Case Search is free and statewide, but the courts say it's not for background checks. Learn how to correctly check if you have a warrant in Maryland.
Maryland Whistleblower Laws: Protections and How to Report
Learn about Maryland's whistleblower protections: who qualifies, how to report violations, retaliation protections, and available remedies.
Maryland Will and Trust Laws: Witnesses, Remote Wills (2026)
A Maryland will needs two or more credible witnesses in the testator's physical presence. Remote witnessing is allowed only under the conditions of 4-102(c) or (d).
Maryland Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Maryland requires 35% VLT on all windows for sedans; SUVs and trucks are exempt behind the driver based on registration class. Learn the rules, the medical exemption, and penalties.
Maryland Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Maryland windshield mounting laws: restrictions, penalties, and exemptions. Complete guide.
Maryland Workers' Compensation Laws: Benefits, Deadlines, and Your Rights
Maryland workers' comp guide: file within 60 days, 2-year absolute bar, 66 2/3% wage replacement, employer-directed care, and exclusive-remedy rules explained.
Maryland Workplace Harassment Laws: 2-Year Complaint Deadline (2026)
Maryland bars harassment that need not be severe or pervasive. Employers with 1+ employees are covered once a harassment complaint is filed; 2 years to file.