Until summons are formally served, the defendant is not obliged to appear or make a defense. However it is prudent to monitor any lawsuit one knows is "out there."

Circuit Court. (unless it is a landlord/tenant matter)

Generally no, at least not in the absence of a court order. However the producing party may respond by making documents available for inspection and copying at the requesting party's own expense.

Yes, assuming they have a good faith basis for doing so.

No, hiring an attorney is not mandatory. A petitioner may file for adoption either "pro se" (self represented) or with an attorney. Because the law requires that adoption proceedings follow various rules and procedures, it may well be a good idea to hire an attorney for such a proceeding.

Generally speaking the winning party in a lawsuit does not get attorney fees. An exception to this general rule is when such fees are expressly agreed to by the parties. In the scenario you describe it would be good to look at the underlying contract/settlement to see what it says about attorney... View More

An entity is effectively formed the date the SDAT approves the articles of organization. However, a business is generally advised to wait until after it holds its organizational meeting before transacting business.

The answer depends on the particular defendant and the presence or absence of insurance. If the defendant had insurance, then the insurance company is usually motivated to pay promptly. (In Maryland, interest accrues on judgments at a rate of 10%). If the defendant had no insurance then payment... View More

It isn't clear whether you want to transfer (sell) one LLC to another LLC or whether you simply want to add owners/members to an existing LLC. Assuming you are asking about the second scenario, it is generally a matter of voting to add members and issuing membership certificates for same,... View More

When a company has employees working in the state of Maryland, then generally yes, it should register with the state of Maryland, file a CRA and set up all necessary employment accounts. The exact steps your company needs to take to ensure compliance with each jurisdiction's laws (and... View More

If this was something the title examination should've revealed and title insurance was issued without an exclusion, then yes, the title insurance may well be forced to compensate. If the cloud arose AFTER your settlement the answer would of course be different. You are encouraged to check... View More

It isn't clear whether you are talking about the personal representative getting a commission or getting a share of the estate as a beneficiary.

A personal representative is generally entitled to a commission but gets this money after either the court or the beneficiaries agree to the... View More

No. There is no mandate in Maryland law requiring an employer to provide its employees with any specific job description. That being said, many employers do write up job descriptions to help employees understand what duties are expected.

More information is needed to fully understand the question. Borrowers sign the deed of trust (mortgage). Sometimes (but not often) a lender will make a loan to one co-owner, in which case the other owners (non-borrowers) will sign off acknowledging the mortgage lien.

Employers have pretty broad rights to monitor employees on the job, though the right is not absolute. In some cases, eavesdropping can be illegal such as when someone violates wiretap laws (say by as recording phone conversations without any notice or consent), but generally employers can monitor... View More

To protect your business you are strongly encouraged to register your trade name. In fact, if you operate under any business name besides your own personal name Maryland law requires that you register it. In addition to registering in the state of Maryland, one can federally register certain... View More

The facts surrounding your question are unknown but no one except a spouse has a legal right to demand anything not given in a last will & testament. Children and other heirs at law do have a right to see all probate filings, including seeing a copy of their family member's will after... View More

An employer does not have to give a reason for firing. For employees not under an employment contract, an employer can fire for any reason so long as it is not illegal/discriminatory. If you believe you were fired for an illegal reason then you might want to consult with a lawyer.

As a... View More

Yes, although the agency must apply for and receive certification. If you need more assistance with a business formation or license issue you may want to call an attorney to discuss your situation.

In the private sector, one must look to the employer's specific policies to see what health benefits it offers (if any). The law does not (currently) mandate medical benefits at any specific point, though various unions and so forth might have binding agreements that require coverage at a... View More