Posts by Thomas Leitch
$3.95 Million RESPA Settlement Finalized in Case Against Emery Federal Credit Union
April 23, 2025 – Towson, MD — Smith, Gildea & Schmidt, LLC is proud to announce that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has granted final approval of a $3.95 million class action settlement in a high-impact case involving RESPA anti-kickback violations by Emery Federal Credit Union. This case, Brown et…
Read MorePennsylvania AG Sues Mortgage Brokers for RESPA Kickback Scheme: What Homebuyers and Whistleblowers Need to Know
Published by Smith Gildea & Schmidt | April 21, 2025 Alleged Kickbacks Violated RESPA and Inflated Borrower Costs Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry has filed a lawsuit against Barry Newhart and six Lehigh Valley mortgage broker companies for allegedly orchestrating an illegal kickback scheme in violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). The…
Read MoreAI Fraud Detection & Watermarking: How Maryland and Legal Leaders Are Responding to the AI Content Boom
Smith, Gildea & Schmidt leads the legal response as Maryland legislation awaits the governor’s signature. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to disrupt how content is created, shared, and interpreted, new concerns are rising — especially in the legal world. A growing focus is now being placed on AI content detection, watermarking AI-generated material, and identifying…
Read More$1.2M Settlement in Maryland Nursing Home Negligence Case: Elkton Facility Under Fire for Substandard Care
April 9, 2025 – Elkton, MarylandIn a major development in the fight against elder abuse and nursing home negligence in Maryland, Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has agreed to a $1.2 million settlement following allegations of serious mistreatment and neglect of its residents. The settlement, announced by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, stems…
Read MoreMaryland Child Victims Act: File Your Sexual Abuse Claim Before June 1, 2025
Maryland Child Victims Act: File Your Sexual Abuse Claim Before June 1, 2025 Survivors of childhood sexual abuse in Maryland now have the power to seek justice—regardless of when the abuse occurred. But a new 2025 amendment to the law reduces the amount of compensation available for survivors who file lawsuits after June 1,…
Read MoreCongratulations Towson University Women’s Soccer and Head Coach Katherine Vettori
TOWSON, MD SGS would like to congratulate Jason Vettori’s wife’s team, Towson University Women’s Soccer, for winning the Coastal Athletic Association Women’s Soccer regular season title! We would also like to congratulate her players who received conference awards, as well as Katherine Vettori for winning Coach of the Year. Read more about it here:…
Read MoreSGS Wins Class Certification for more than 600 Borrowers in Mortgage Kickback Case
CLASS ACTION VICTORY The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”) bars kickbacks in residential mortgage transactions. On October 12, 2023, Smith Gildea & Schmidt’s Complex Litigation Group won a motion for class certification, establishing a class of more than 600 borrowers who were the victims of the kickbacks paid between their mortgage lender and a…
Read MoreSGS Enjoys a Wednesday Afternoon Orioles Win over the Dodgers
BALTIMORE, MD The Smith, Gildea & Schmidt team headed down to Camden Yards on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 for a fun afternoon of baseball. They saw the young, up-and-coming Orioles take on the powerful Los Angeles Dodgers during one of their rare trips to Baltimore. Smith, Gildea & Schmidt brought some good luck with them…
Read MoreAbdominal Aortic Aneurysms and Medical Negligence
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a serious condition that affects the main artery in your body. The artery is called the aorta, and it carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body. The aorta runs through your chest and belly area, called the abdomen. Sometimes, the wall of the…
Read More$3 Million Medical Negligence Verdict for SGS
TOWSON, MD On March 14, 2023, Rusty Arbaugh and Carmelo D. Morabito of Smith, Gildea & Schmidt, obtained a $3 million jury verdict against Francis Tat-Tee Khoo, M.D., a doctor practicing at Carroll Hospital, after a six-day medical negligence trial in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland. THE MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CASE The medical negligence…
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