BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS TO ACCESS CIVIL JUSTICE DATA IN MARYLAND.

Data Hub

The lack of civil justice data is a barrier to civil justice for all. Facts and figures related to the civil justice system are hard to come by and not easily accessible in a way that allows for visualization, data analysis or data-informed policy making. A2JC confronted this problem by creating first-of-their-kind data tools that corral, visualize and analyze information from different parts of the civil justice system to reveal insights and trends. 

The Data Hub promotes the importance of data collection and analysis; houses tools and dashboards; and describes advocacy efforts and policy positions that push for transparency and access to more civil justice data.

Story Map Introduction

When a person is chronically hungry, it might not be obvious why they need legal help in addition to food. Arming someone with legal information, assistance, and representation when they are struggling to meet a basic human need can be one of the most powerful ways to disrupt the downward spiral and achieve meaningful stability. One of the key goals of the  Maryland Access to Justice Commission  (MD A2JC) is to ensure that Marylanders have the legal help they need to meet their basic human needs. 

• Legal help is critical to help people meet their basic human needs.  
• Many basic human needs have a legal component that necessitates entanglement with the civil justice system. 
• The civil justice system is complex and navigating it without legal help can lead to negative consequences. 
• There is not enough legal help for Marylanders who struggle to meet their basic human needs and get entangled with the civil justice system.
• The Maryland Access to Justice Commission seeks to increase understanding of the connection between receiving legal help and meeting basic human needs.

This interactive story map shows how basic human needs – like food, shelter, economic security and personal safety – are related to legal issues in the civil justice system.  Expanding access to legal advice and the civil justice system is an important part of ensuring that Marylanders are fed, housed, and safe.

A2J Data Dashboards

Data | December, 8 2023

Civil Justice Data Dashboard

The Civil Justice Data Dashboard was created during the partnership of the Access to Justice Commission with the former Attorney General, Brian Frosh, for the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force. In addition to tackling substantive areas of law like housing and consumer law, the…

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Data | December, 8 2023

“Civil Justice For All” Story Map

The lack of civil justice data is a barrier to civil justice for all. As it stands now, data related to the civil justice system is hard to come by and not publicly available. This prevents data-informed policy-making, which is especially dangerous when so many Marylanders have been forced into the civil…

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Data | May, 1 2023

DHCD: Evictions Dashboard

A2JC successfully advocated for a new law on eviction data, which went into effect in 2022, requiring the MD Judiciary to collect and report eviction data and for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to develop Maryland’s first-ever eviction data dashboard.View in a separate…

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Data | September, 20 2022

Housing Data Dashboard

The lack of civil justice data is a barrier to access to justice. For too long, data related to one of the most voluminous types of cases in the civil justice system – eviction – has not been publicly available in a meaningful way for communities, advocates and leaders to use for policy decisions. The…

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More Civil Justice Data

Data

DHCD: Evictions Dashboard

A2JC successfully advocated for a new law on eviction data, which went into effect in 2022, requiring the MD Judiciary to collect and report eviction data and for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to develop Maryland’s first-ever eviction data dashboard.

View