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Maybe it’s on your commute to or from work, or while waiting in line at the grocery store, you flip through your new matches on the app of your choice, hoping for something that stands out from the rest.

You browse the descriptions but unless the photos look good, no need to read further. Occasionally you come across something that makes your heart beat a little faster and you schedule a time to get better acquainted. Online dating? Or house hunting? Either way, here are a few words of wisdom.

It’s a numbers game

• While some people get lucky and find “the one” on their first shot, in most cases, you’re going to need to explore a few options before you really know what you are looking for.
• Embrace the exploration phase, there’s no rush to make a decision of this magnitude, you’ll learn so much about yourself as you define what matters most

First impressions are important but not the only thing that matters

• Even the best exterior and curb appeal don’t make up for issues inside.
• Aesthetics can be changed. Other things cannot be changed. It won’t be easy but you will benefit from looking beyond the superficial.

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Attorney Seth Okin is an accomplished criminal lawyer that practices in the state of Maryland. Attorney Okin is also a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and the Baltimore County Bar Association.

An 18-year-old Newnan teenager said she feels victimized a second time after being arrested for confronting her ex-boyfriend after he leaked a nude video of her.

The young woman said she confronted her ex-boyfriend at school after he posted the video of her on the social media site Kik. A teacher at the school allegedly witnessed the argument and told police that the young woman threw a bottle of water on him and threatened to kill him because of what he had done.

Police turned around and arrested the girl. She told local media that the video made her feel violated and that was why she confronted her ex-boyfriend and is even more upset that she is the only one being charged with a crime. This despite the fact that Georgia has a revenge porn law on its books.

The law, which went into effect in July 2014, allows law enforcement to charge someone with a high and aggravated misdemeanor for their first offense. Second and subsequent offenses can be charged as felonies.

When asked why the person who posted the video has not been charged with anything, Deputy Chief Rodney Riggs said, “Obviously there was a disruption there at the school she attended, and that was the only charge that has been made at this point.

The fact that some photographs were sent doesn’t necessarily constitute a crime. There are certain criteria in sending that photograph that has to be met and that’s what we’re trying to determine.”

Upon hearing about this case, attorney Seth Okin commented, “I find it outrageous that the police have essentially violated this young woman a second time, arresting her, putting her in handcuffs, and forcing her into the criminal justice system as a defendant, instead of as the victim.”

Dr. Victor Hayes is a board certified spine surgeon who practices within the state of Florida. Dr. Hayes has an extensive educational background, as well as he is trained in both endoscopic and reconstructive spine surgery.  

A promising new discovery has been made by Gladstone Institutes scientists which could bring new hope to victims of spinal cord injuries. Scientists used human stem cells to create a new neuron which may be able to repair damaged spinal cords.

Named V2a interneurons, the cells transmit signals to the spinal cord in order to assist in controlling movement. Results of the study have been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Normally, these interneurons send signals to the spinal cord from the brain, connecting with motor neurons that enable us to move our limbs. These interneurons also are part of the breathing process.

When V2a interneurons are damaged as a result of a spinal cord injury, the signal between brain and limbs is severed, causing paralysis.

In order to produce the V2a interneurons from human stem cells, researchers were able to come up with a “cocktail of chemicals” that eventually led to the stem cells developing from spinal cord progenitor cells to V2a interneurons. These interneurons were then transplanted into spinal cords of healthy mice.

When this was done, the interneurons sprouted and integrated with existing cells. Especially critical to the research was that the mice still moved normally after the transplant and there were no signs of impairment.

The study team said they plan on taking this research to the next level by transplanting V2a interneurons into mice with damaged spinal cords to see if movement can be restored.

According to national statistics, there are about 300,000 people living with spinal cord injuries in the U.S., with more than 15,000 new cases of spinal cord injuries that occur each year.

The two most common causes of these injuries are motor vehicle accidents, which are responsible for approximately 40 percent of injuries, and falls, which cause about 30 percent of spinal cord injuries every year.

Spinal surgeon Dr. Victor Hayes commented, “this is certainly an exciting breakthrough and one I hope ushers in a new increased focus on treating catastrophic spinal injuries.”

Kerri Castellini is a trusts and estates lawyer who is based in Washington, DC, with Price Benowitz LLP. Kerri offers assistance with various types of estate planning and development techniques.

When most people think of estate plans and wills, they often visualize an older adult making those plans. Many of us feel uncomfortable when it comes to discussing end of life decisions and it is common for people to delay putting their wishes down on legal pen and paper.

But the reality of it is, is that accidents and illnesses can strike at any time and having a solid plan in place not only ensures that our wishes are carried out, but also helps alleviate the pressure these types of situations can have on our loved ones. It is also critical to have plans in place if you have young children.

If a person dies without a will and they have minor children, then the state makes the decision of who will be the children’s legal guardian. The probate court will make the decision over how your assets will be divided among your survivors, regardless of what type of relationship – good or bad – you had with them.

In order to avoid family fighting, and the legal probate process, many people decide to set up living trusts. Other people decide to put assets in their children’s name before they die, however, many attorneys advise against this because – unlike a living trust – you lose all control over your own money.

In addition, while gifting your assets during your lifetime may avoid probate, it often results in the requirement of filing a gift tax return, and exposing the asset to your children’s creditors. A good example of this is putting your home in your child’s name, but they later file for bankruptcy.

It is also critical to make sure that you periodically check the beneficiaries you have on any financial accounts to make sure that these are coordinated with your estate plan.

This is especially true if you have gone through a life event, such as a divorce. Whoever is listed on the accounts is the person who will receive the funds, despite who your will may have listed.

Other issues to consider addressing in your will include granting your personal representative the authority to handle your digital assets. Many people also provide provisions in their wills to address who should care for pets.

Attorneys also often recommend that individuals include an advanced directive or a power of attorney for medical treatment in their estate planning, which designates who they want to be able to make medical decisions for them in the event they become incapacitated and are unable to do so for themselves.

In a discussion about estate planning, Trust and Estates attorney Kerri Castellini commented, “It is never too early to sit down with a probate attorney and legally document exactly how you want your estate to be divided, and to prepare for your own incapacity.”

This weekly column is written and sponsored by D.C. real estate agent and Edgewood resident Jessica Evans. Email her questions at  [email protected].

If you’re in the market for a home in the DC area, chances are you’re familiar with the dreaded multiple offer situation. With continued low inventory and high demand, with any new well priced listing comes a fairly good chance that there will be other interested buyers considering an offer as well. In multiple offer situations, buyers typically have one chance to submit their highest and best offer. Below are our tips on  how to make your offer as “seller friendly” as possible and differentiate your offer from the others a seller might receive:

1. Price

This one may seem obvious, but starting with a realistic price is essential to staying in the game. Offering a net sales price (sales price minus any seller credits) that is below the list price isn’t generally going to bode well for offer acceptance. Start with a realistic net offer price that is in line with the market value, include any seller credits in the sales price, and consider an escalation clause if you are comfortable going above the list price.

2. Fewer contingencies

Contingencies offer a buyer protection during a home purchase and offer options for negotiation during several key points. While beneficial to a buyer, contingencies represent risk in a seller’s eyes. A seller may perceive a greater risk than actually exists and may value the risk from a monetary perspective as greater than the actual dollar amount. As a buyer try to minimize the contingencies to only what you feel is necessary for your protection.

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By Oleg Fastovsky, an attorney with the Maryland Criminal Defense Group representing clients who have been charged with a wide array of criminal offenses.

When candidate Trump was running for president, immigration reform was one of his major rallying cries, like building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Since he has taken office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) has dramatically increased the number of raids and deportations that have taken place.

According to some estimates, ICE, under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, has arrested approximately more than 30 percent of people in 2017 compared to last year, under the Obama administration.

One of the major criteria of those being deported, according to the administration, is targeting those illegal immigrants who have a criminal record. Unlike past administrations, who targeted those with high-level offenses like rape and murder, the current administration is also going after those who have been convicted of low-level offenses.

In January, Trump issues an executive order that proclaimed that any illegal immigrant who has been charged with a criminal offense, convicted of a criminal offense, or has committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense are subject to deportation.

According to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, the deportation threshold is much lower now than in the past. Kelly pointed out in a recent interview that even someone who has been convicted of a single drunk driving charge could face deportation.

These sentiments were also echoed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has said that the country has entered a new era over how it deals with immigration issues, referring to it as the “Trump era” in a speech to border patrol agents.

Sessions also recently sent out a memo to federal prosecutors, urging them to prosecute anyone who harbors illegal immigrants, particularly those who are found to be harboring three or more illegals.

Despite the spike in ICE arrests, the number of deportations has only increased slightly from the Obama administration. An ICE spokesperson blames government bureaucracy for the delay in actually deporting the people who have been arrested.

In a discussion about the new immigration reforms, Attorney Oleg Fastovsky commented, “It is disconcerting not only the numbers of people ICE is arresting, but also the months these people are being forced to sit in limbo, waiting for hearings to find out what their future holds.”