ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

OFFICE OF LAW

[photo, Carroll Building, 3450 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland]

The Office of Law is responsible for all legal affairs of the County's government.

Serving as legal advisor to the County Council, the County Executive, and other officers and agencies of Howard County Government, the County Solicitor administers the Office of Law. The County Solicitor advises and counsels County officials and employees on federal, State and local laws (County Charter, Art. IV, sec. 405). The County Solicitor also handles all civil litigation involving the County, its officers, or employees.

Carroll Building, 3450 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

PUBLIC ETHICS COMMISSION

Annually, the Commission submits a report to the State Ethics Commission, showing County compliance with State law governing the public ethics of local officials with respect to conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying (Code General Provisions Article, secs. 5-804 through 5-812).

Appointed by the County Executive with County Council consent, the Commission consists of five members (County Code, secs. 22.200 through 22.209).

PUBLIC DEFENDER

For indigent defendants in Howard County, the District Public Defender provides legal representation, including related necessary services and facilities. The District Public Defender assures effective assistance and continuity of counsel to indigent accused taken into custody and indigent defendants in criminal and juvenile proceedings before Maryland courts (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 16-201 through 16-213).

STATE'S ATTORNEY

Starting in 1818, duties of the State's Attorney were first carried out by the District Attorney (Chapter 146, Acts of 1817). Appointed by the Governor in each judicial district, the District Attorney prosecuted cases on behalf of the State. By 1821, the District Attorney was renamed the Deputy Attorney and was appointed by the Attorney General (Chapter 126, Acts of 1821). The office of State's Attorney was first authorized in 1851 (Constitution of 1851, Art. V, secs. 1-5).

The State's Attorney prosecutes and defends, on the part of the State, all criminal cases in Howard County in which the State may be interested (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 15-101 through 15-109, 15-414).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM

Carroll Building, 3450 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, Maryland, May 2018. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

Chapter 233, Acts of 2005

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HOWARD COUNTY, MARYLAND