Colleen K. O'Brien

Court of Appeals of Maryland Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages Performed in Other States
Colleen K. O'Brien, May 24, 2012
In this opinion, the Court of Appeals of Maryland officially recognized valid out-of-state same-sex marriages. The case arose when the parties to such a marriage were seeking a divorce in Maryland and were denied by a Prince George’s County trial judge.

Children’s Claim, Derived from Parent’s Claim in Previous Lawsuit, Is Barred By res judicata
Colleen K. O'Brien, May 9, 2012
Here, the Court of Appeals of Maryland applied the doctrine of res judicata to decide whether a pair of adult children (“Petitioners”) were allowed to proceed with a lawsuit against an energy company and its attorneys. The suit was based on the energy company spilling heating oil in the...

District Court Order Remanding Claim for Disability Benefits to an ERISA Claims Administrator Is Not an Immediately Appealable Final Order
Colleen K. O'Brien, May 4, 2012
Here, the Plaintiff sued Aetna Life Insurance Company (“Aetna”) after Aetna terminated his long-term disability benefits under an employer-sponsored plan, governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). The parties filed cross-motions for summary...