RaquinMercer Law Offices
“The Defense Never Rests.”

Is Evidence of Innocence Exculpatory Enough?

The Maryland Supreme Court’s last opinion of 2022, Carver v. State, 482 Md. 469 (2022) (Hotten, J.) (Gould, J., dissenting), analyzed the cumulative impact of newly discovered evidence and held that the newly discovered evidence did not “speak to” petitioner’s...

4 ways to prepare for a criminal trial

Many criminal cases never go to trial. If you face a different situation, you have a complex road ahead. Knowing that Maryland circuit court judges deal with thousands of cases every year, you likely have to wait months to finally get your day in court. As the date...

What does it mean to voluntarily and knowingly accept a plea?

There are thousands of criminal prosecutions in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., every single year. This means court dockets can become almost overwhelming. Still, the U.S. Constitution guarantees most criminal defendants speedy trials. Plea deals are one...

3 things to know before giving a genealogical DNA sample

Like many Americans, you may have found yourself curious about exploring your genealogy through one of the several DNA testing services currently available. You may also assume that the company will keep your information secure and private. However, once you have...