Bloomington is an unincorporated town at the confluence of the North Branch Potomac River and Savage River in southeastern Garrett County, Maryland. It lies to the west of Luke on MD 135 (state highway 135) and is bounded to the northwest by Savage River State Forest. Originally known as Llangollen when the town's post office was established on December 4, 1872, its name was later changed to Bloomington. Jennings Randolph Lake to the southwest was completed in 1982 as Bloomington Lake but was renamed in 1987 by the United States Congress for West Virginia Senator William Jennings Randolph. A proposal has been filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by Fairlawn Hydroelectric Company to construct a 10.5 MW hydroelectric facility at the Army Corps of Engineers-operated dam for the lake. If approved, construction could occur as early as 2012.

What is criminal defense law?

In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").

Answers to criminal defense law issues in Maryland

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says that you have a right to be free of unreasonable police searches and...

The general criteria for making an arrest is what is referred to as probable cause. Probable cause arises when there...

There are two different types of warrants that may be issued:

  • arrest warrants - an order issued by a...

The Miranda decision relates specifically to the rights of a criminal suspect after he has been detained by the...

Bail is typically set by a magistrate or a judge who considers the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood of...

Early in the course of a criminal proceeding, the defendant will be brought into court and the charges brought...

At any point during this process the defendant may plead guilty to the charge leveled against him or her. Likewise,...

Criminal offenses can be divided into two general categories:

  • ­felonies -- a crime for which a person...

The distinguishing feature of criminal law is the element of punishment. The purpose of criminal law is to punish...

There are several defenses that can be raised in a criminal case. The defenses listed here are a sampling of those...