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3 - Investigations / 4 - Cases / Anne Arundel County / Appellate Court / Baltimore City / Baltimore County / Civil Rights / Court Corruption / Court Reform / Domestic Violence / Family Court / Family Court Reform / Legal Reform / Maryland / Maryland Watch / Protective Orders / The Reichert Files / The Shadow Docket of Reichert v. Hornbeck

The Standard Nobody Published: Maryland’s Amended Protective Order Law, Eight Years Without a Reported Case

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

A Maryland custody case once made law. Then, over six years and five more appeals, Reichert v. Hornbeck generated a body of unreported family-law rulings that resolved recurring questions but never entered the state’s published precedent. This article examines what that means for litigants, lawyers, and the public.
Grounded in the article’s opening and its explanation of the five unreported opinions and their impact.

The Standard Nobody Published: Maryland’s Amended Protective Order Law, Eight Years Without a Reported Case Read More
Accountability / Campaigns / Corruption / Court Corruption / elections / Maryland / Maryland Watch / Politics / The Corruption Series / transparency

Shadows on the Bench: Maryland’s Judicial Campaign Finance Transparency Problem

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

Judicial integrity in Maryland is compromised by lack of transparency in campaign financing, especially from lawyers and dark money groups. Current laws allow special interests to unduly influence judges, diminishing public trust. Proposed reforms aim to enhance transparency, limit donor contributions, and ensure a fair judicial election system, restoring confidence in the judiciary.

Shadows on the Bench: Maryland’s Judicial Campaign Finance Transparency Problem Read More
Advocacy / Attorneys / Censorship / Child Custody / Constitutional Law / Corruption / Court Of Ruin The William Sewell Files / Court Reform / Family Court / Fraud / Judges / Judicial Disability / South Carolina

Lights, Camera, Due Process: Why the William Sewell Case Proves South Carolina Courtrooms Need Cameras

- by Michael Phillips - Leave a Comment

William Sewell, a mechanic in South Carolina, fights a custody battle without legal representation, facing threats from opposing counsel and a seemingly biased judge. His case highlights the lack of transparency in family courts, emphasizing the need for public scrutiny and accountability to protect citizens’ rights and promote justice.

Lights, Camera, Due Process: Why the William Sewell Case Proves South Carolina Courtrooms Need Cameras Read More