Lien

Dear Mr. Azrael:My question concerns a deed on a property taken out by joint tenants in entireties.Subsequent to the execution of that deed there was a divorce, and the property is still held by both myself and my ex-spouse. I'm wondering if I need to change that joint tenants by entireties or does it change automatically. How would I deal with that?Karl Goslin Artemas, Pa. Dear Mr. Goslin:Couples who get divorced need to carefully consider the effect their divorce will have on real estate they acquired together while married.

The South Baltimore Learning Center is expected to begin a campaign to raise $1.5 million today with the announcement that Bank of America has released a lien on the literacy program's building.Since its founding 10 years ago, the nonprofit learning center at 28 E. Ostend St. has become South Baltimore's second-chance school of choice, helping hundreds to learn to read and earn their General Educational Development diplomas. But the center has struggled to stabilize its finances, pay its debts and expand its programs.

Dear Mr. Azrael:Entity-wise, can a levy be placed on real property in a living trust name if a court order is directed at the trustee's personal name and not under his name as trustee? Can you cite the applicable Maryland rule? M. Baratta, BaltimoreDear Mr. Baratta:Many laypersons -- and even some lawyers -- are confused by terms such as "levy" or "lien" on real property.A "lien" means a charge or liability binding on property for the payment of a debt or legal obligation.Creditors usually prefer to have their debts secured by a "lien" on the debtor's property.

Owners of 12 homes in the Cranberry area will have a $1,800 lien placed on their properties until fees are paid for new sewer extensions, Carroll County officials said yesterday.The hookups, now being installed, will replace a decrepit section of the county sewer system and connect the Westminster homes to the system operated by Baltimore City.Under the plan, each homeowner will be charged $1,800 for the hookup, to be covered by the lien while the money is repaid over a 10-year period at 5 percent interest, said Eugene C. Curfman, Carroll's comptroller.

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday that the federal government does not always have the right to be paid first when taxes are owed by a dead person's estate and the estate lacks enough money to cover all debts.Ruling in a Pennsylvania case, the court declared that the government must be first in line with its formal notice of a tax debt by an estate or else lose its priority rank to other creditors that did get there first.The decision rejected the federal government's argument that federal tax claims have had a clear-cut priority under a 201-year-old law.Instead, the court ruled, federal priority rights to collect delinquent taxes depend, under a 1966 law, on a requirement that the government file in court a for- mal notice of the tax debt before its priority takes effect.

A candidate for clerk of the Baltimore City Circuit Court owes more than $30,000 in federal taxes and has been involved in state tax disputes, court records show.The duties of clerk of the court include managing the office's $10.7 million budget.Arthur W. Murphy, 48, blamed his financial troubles on an acrimonious divorce and a fight against multiple sclerosis that left him unemployable for two years.Murphy said that he is working out the problems, and that they do not reflect on his ability to effectively manage the clerk's office.

When a wrecking ball crashed into Hammerjacks last spring, it seemed as if the Maryland Stadium Authority's protracted dealings to acquire the mammoth South Baltimore nightclub to use as a parking lot was over.Not quite.On Tuesday, the stadium authority filed suit against Hammerjacks, charging that the club had improperly failed to disclose that there was a lien for unpaid city property taxes on two of the three parcels the authority bought.Last month, the stadium authority paid off the debt -- about $40,000, including interest -- which had been purchased at a city auction by a group of investors, according to records and interviews.

She wears the key to her Baltimore rowhouse on a chain around her neck, but for now it unlocks only misery.Martha Fields, 72, opens the door at 123 Parkin St. and peers into the cluttered remains. She'd like to make it home again -- and asks the city to help, by reducing a $37,000 lien that strangles her dream.She doesn't want charity, but a chance.Now, the city is giving her case, and others, another look.Fields' is one of about 20 cases the Housing Department is reviewing as a result of a three-part Sun series that told how a city campaign to shore up or demolish decaying houses spurred many owners to flee their stakes.

A formal hearing will be held to decide the merits of the state of Maryland's claim that Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson owes $485,133 in back taxes and interest.The state originally filed a lien against Anderson in Baltimore City Circuit Court when he did not respond to repeated mailed notices. However, the notices were sent to an old address and Anderson did not get them.The miscommunication was cleared up and the lien was lifted, so now the validity of the case will be decided at a hearing.

County police arrested a Baltimore woman on theft charges after a bizarre, low-speed chase that wound through the Brooklyn section of Baltimore and back to Belle Grove Road, where the car she was driving crashed into a garage.Jessie Mae Patterson, 35, of the 1200 block of Patapsco Ave. was charged with theft, driving while intoxicated and first-degree assault.Police say she stole a car from a man who picked her up as she was hitchhiking on Patapsco Avenue in South Baltimore, nearly ran over him and nearly ran others off the road during the chase, but never exceeded the speed limit.

A second Maryland firm has sued the owner and general contractor of Baltimore's historic B&O Building in an effort to get paid for work done to complete the $65 million Hotel Monaco that opened there in late July. Attorneys for D.F. Smith Inc. of Glen Burnie, a masonry subcontractor, filed a complaint this week in Baltimore Circuit Court to establish and enforce a mechanic's lien against the property. The complaint filed by Michael P. Darrow of Hillman, Brown and Darrow PA states that Smith is seeking $29,761.

Federal prosecutors are looking for what could be hundreds of victims in an alleged scheme to rig bids at Maryland tax lien auctions, according to court filings. They've already identified two dozen corporate and municipal victims - including the city of Baltimore, and Anne Arundel, Prince George's and Baltimore counties. And they believe there could be many more injured individuals, people who lost their liened property to the defendants: Harvey M. Nusbaum and Jack W. Stollof. The men, both in their 70s, were indicted last month on one count apiece of violating the Sherman Act. From 2002 through 2007, the indictment alleges, they conspired to stifle competition in the tax lien bidding process, guaranteeing that they won a disproportionate number of liens, which allowed them to charge property owners large fees or to take their holdings if they couldn't pay. An FBI surveillance team allegedly saw the men meeting in Baltimore County shortly before dropping off bid envelopes in Montgomery County and using signals to communicate during another auction, according to an affidavit.

Man found in burning home was also beaten City police say a man found last week in a burning residence moments after police responded to a report of an armed person had been beaten before he died in the fire. The victim was identified Monday as Edward M. Davis, 39, but few details were available as police investigate the incident. Davis was found June 24 in the 1800 block of St. Paul St., just south of North Avenue. Police said at the time that the fire, which broke out at 6:30 p.m., was preceded by a report of an armed man in the vicinity, but officers who responded found no one. The fire was reported minutes later, and fire officials said the body was found on a burning couch.

The lead contractor on the Ritz-Carlton Residences at the Inner Harbor is seeking a lien on the project after the developer missed payments totaling $1.37 million. Bovis Lend Lease Inc., the general contractor on the 192 luxury condominiums at the foot of Federal Hill, has petitioned for a lien against developer Midtown Baltimore LLC, according to documents filed this month in Baltimore Circuit Court. As of early March, when work was finished, the developer owed Bovis $1.37 million on the $166 million contract, according to an application for payment filed in court.

With the dismissal of some charges in the City Hall corruption cases this week, the person left taking the biggest hit is someone who never has sought or held political office: Ronald H. Lipscomb. The state prosecutor's bribery case against the developer is the only one that remains fully intact after a judge on Thursday tossed out all charges against Helen L. Holton, the city councilwoman accused of accepting a bribe from Lipscomb. Also dismissed were five charges brought against Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon after a three-year investigation into City Hall spending practices, but seven others were allowed to stand.

Though the harsh economy has prompted spending cuts and increases in fees and membership rates, Columbia Association leaders say the good news in the budget for next year is that revenue is expected to hold steady and residents will see no change in the property lien rate. The association's board of directors recently put the finishing touches on the $57.8 million spending plan for fiscal year 2010, which starts May 1. As is custom, the board made adjustments to the second year of a two-year budget approved last winter.

Is the IRS liening on you? There might be some relief if a tax lien on your house is preventing you from refinancing your mortgage or selling your home. You or your lender can ask the IRS to make its tax lien secondary to the one by the mortgage company refinancing your loan. Or, you can ask the IRS to discharge its lien if you are selling the house for less than the amount of the mortgage lien, the IRS says. A mortgage company is loath to refinance a loan if its lien on the house isn't at the top. The IRS says it's willing to make its claim be second in line if this will help the agency ultimately collect the taxes you owe. Follow the directions in Publication 784 under "How to Prepare an Application for a Certificate of Subordination of a Federal Tax Lien."

Edgerley, state economic development chief, resigns The state's economic development secretary, David Edgerley, resigned last night, saying he wants to pursue a career in the private sector or education. Edgerley's resignation comes after Gov. Martin O'Malley sought to reorganize his agency, the Department of Business and Economic Development, a process that emphasized efforts for the biotechnology industry and international trade and consolidated some functions. O'Malley issued a statement thanking Edgerley for his service and for his help in launching an initiative to expand the biotechnology industry in the state.

Baltimore is defending its practice of selling houses that have tax liens for unpaid water bills and other municipal fees, denying accusations by a major national bank that the city is responsible for a recent increase in mortgage foreclosures. The city defended the city's tax-sale practices in federal court filings this week as part of a groundbreaking lawsuit filed by Baltimore against Wells Fargo Bank. The city alleges in U.S. District Court that the bank exploited African-American families in Baltimore by offering them higher-interest loans than they offered white buyers, stripping them of equity through refinancings and charging them excessive points and fees.

My wife owns a home that we would prefer to sell, but it is a rental property at the moment. The renter has informed us that she has bought a new house and will be leaving at the beginning of February so she will not be giving her 30-day notice and she does not intend to pay anything for January. A friend suggested that we put a lien on the new house so she won't be able to close on the house until she pays us. The rent is $1,700. Is that worth the amount of lawyers' fees it would cost to do all that?