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Effective January 1, 2003, Maryland Rule 16-205 established a new
business and technology case management program in the circuit
courts. Counsel may now seek designation of complex civil cases
involving business and/or technology issues to this program by
indicating same on the Civil-Non-Domestic Information Report filed
with a Complaint. Upon the filing of a first responsive pleading,
the program Director will determine whether the case is
appropriate for inclusion in the program and notices to counsel
will be generated by the Clerk. Objecting parties will have ten
(10) days to file a written motion, stating the basis for any
objection. Responses may then be filed within five (5) days after
service of the motion. The determination of the Director on such
objections shall be final.
Cases which
are designated for the business & technology case management
program will be specially assigned to one of the three judges
designated by Administrative Judge Holland to participate in the
program. The specially assigned judge will conduct an early
scheduling conference and manage the case to resolution in the
circuit court. The three judges assigned to this program have
received specialized training in business & technology matters
through the Judicial Institute and publish their opinions in the
most significant of business and technology cases on a statewide
judicial website (www.courts.state.md.us),
as well as the website for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City (www.baltocts.state.md.us).
The Circuit
Court for Baltimore City is interested in obtaining funding to
establish one or more technology equipped courtrooms for use by
program judges in designated cases. The Court has also been
working on a plan to create wireless internet access in both
courthouses.
In
November, 2003 the Business and Technology Case Management Program
presented its first symposium, "Trademark & Unfair
Competition." The lecture and presentation were given by
James B. Astrachan and Donna M.D. Thomas of the law firm of
Astrachan, Gunst, Thomas & Ahn, P.C., which co-sponsored the
symposium with Murphy and Shaffer and Syscom, Inc. The Program's
Director hopes to continue this tradition with symposia on other
business and technology topics in the future.
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