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Dispatch | January, 15 2025

A2JC Dispatch – January 2025 Issue

The January Issue

In this month’s dispatch, we provide a legislative preview, discuss A2JC’s legislative priorities, and welcome new commissioners. We also spotlight Baltimore’s $44 million ADA settlement to improve sidewalk accessibility and the Maryland Equitable Justice Commission’s 18 proposed reforms to address racial disparities in incarceration, the revival of the Second Look Act, the Justice Department’s Access to Justice Prize targeting rural justice gaps, and innovative efforts like Washington State’s pilot program allowing non-lawyers to provide legal services as well. Additionally, we feature the Mid-Shore Council’s expanded support for domestic violence survivors, Amazon’s pro bono milestones, and a bill protecting Amtrak riders’ legal rights. Explore these stories and more in this month’s update.

A2J Commission News

  • A2JC Testifies on SB154 Access to Counsel in Evictions Funding Bill  A2JC ED, Reena Shah, testified on SB154 in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on January 15 to advocate for permanent funding for the Access to Counsel in Evictions law. The ACE law has proven to save the state money, be effective in preventing evictions and disruptive displacement and correcting inequities in eviction.The lead sponsors of SB154 are Sen. Hettleman and Chair Guzzone. The other members of the panel included Maryland Legal Services Corporation, Office of the Attorney General and Maryland Legal Aid.                   
  • Access to Counsel in Evictions Task Force Delivers 2025 Report A2JC ED, Reena Shah, chairs the Access to Counsel in Evictions Task Force at the behest of Attorney General Anthony Brown. The Task Force delivered its fifth report in January, 2025 with key recommendations focusing on providing a permanent source of funding for the ACE law; increasing standardization of the implementation of the law in courts across the state; and effectuating a coordinated communications strategy to raise awareness about the law.                   
  • Chief Justice Fader and AG Brown Join A2J Commission Meeting A2JC was honored to host Chief Justice Fader for the first time to the Commission’s January meeting. The Commission also was honored to welcome back Commissioner Attorney General Brown to our meeting. CJ Fader gave remarks that discussed his key efforts related to access to justice, which included examining models to address the large volume of criminal cases that have litigants with mental health issues; studying models about the role of non-attorneys to close the access to justice gap through the Innovations in Tiered Legal Services Task Force; and the impact of deep fakes created by AI in evidentiary proceedings, including in custody and domestic violence cases. Attorney General Brown discussed the work and recommendation of the Access to Counsel in Evictions Task Force and communicated the full support of the OAG in advocating for permanent funding of the Access to Counsel in Evictions law.     
  • A2JC’s Public Interest Law Committee Hosts 2nd Annual Legislative Preview                                        A2JC’s Public Interest Law Committee hosted its 2nd Annual Legislative Preview on Monday, January 13. The Preview showcased over 15 organizations, including the Attorney General’s Office, the Office of the Public Defender and many civil legal aid organizations who shared their top legislative priorities. The Preview had over 85 attendees. A2JC and PILC will now work on continuing coordination and educating and amplifying the priority bills of the PILC partners.             
  • Welcome to New Commissioners! A2JC has some new faces! A2JC welcomes Anisha Queen from the law firm of Brown, Goldstein and Levy, who will take the place of retiring managing partner, Sharon Krevor Weisbaum. A2JC also welcomes Kathleen Gregory and Deb Gardner, who are interim co-executive directors who are filling in for the vacancy left by former ED of PJC, Jeniece Jones. We thank Sharon and Jeniece for their valuable contributions to the Commission and look forward to working with our new Commissioners!                  

Tips from Maryland Judiciary’s Access to Justice Department. We are pleased to offer recurring content from the Maryland Judiciary’s Access to Justice Department as part of the A2J Dispatch.   

  • New Resources for Self-Represented E-Filers  Access to Justice is excited to announce new online resources to help self-represented litigants e-file documents. The first of these new online resources is two videos on registering and viewing cases using Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC). E-filing for the Self-Represented: How to View a Case and E-filing for the Self-Represented: Register to View a Case provide step-by-step instructions, practical tips, and detailed guidance to help litigants as they interact with this tool. Each video is closed-captioned in English and has a transcript in both English and Spanish. The second new online resource is a series of quick reference guides designed to guide self-represented e-filers through the e-filing process. Each document guides self-represented litigants through a different part of the e-filing process.

Local A2J News

  • Maryland Legal Aid’s Vicki Schultz Named to the Daily Record’s 2024-2025 Power 100 List Vicki Schultz has dedicated her career to advancing social justice through strategic leadership and legal advocacy. Currently serving as executive director of Maryland Legal Aid, Schultz brings a wealth of experience from diverse roles in public service and higher education. Ms. Schultz is a Commissioner on the Access to Justice Commission.
  • ADA Settlement Calls for $44 Million Investment in Baltimore Sidewalks and Curbs Baltimore will invest $44 million in accessible sidewalks and curbs under a proposed agreement that would settle a lawsuit brought by wheelchair users and disabilities advocates.
  • Justice reform advocates hoping for a second chance for Second Look Act Part of Desmond Haneef-Perry’s job is to explain to judges why an incarcerated individual who appears for a pretrial hearing not only needs services to overcome possible substance abuse or mental health issues, but also a second chance at life when eventually released from jail.        
  • Maryland Equitable Justice Commission Proposes 18 Reforms to Address Racial Disparities The initiatives aim to reduce the disproportionate incarceration of Black Marylanders, who make up 71% of the prison population despite being 30% of the state’s residents.           
  • Mid-Shore Organization Pioneers a ‘Hub’ of Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence For more than four decades, the Mid-Shore Council on Family Violence has been at the forefront of advocating for victims on the Mid-Shore. With a new program, the organization is now planning to assist far beyond. The Mid-Shore Council is also working with the Access to Justice Commission to develop an Asset and Resource Map and a Story Map.          

National A2J News                             

  • Justice Department Launches 2025 Access to Justice Prize to Address the Rural Justice Gap The inaugural competition will focus on access to justice gaps faced by rural communities across the country, aiming to advance general public awareness about rural access to justice gaps; prompt and support the development of new and innovative solutions; and promote the replication and expansion of strategies that work.    
  • We Are Far From Finished’: Amazon Pro Bono Program Raises Sights After Championing Justice From West Virginia to Ukraine This fall, the program reached its 10th anniversary, a milestone that led the Seattle-based company to take stock of its impact. So far, more than 2,200 legal and public policy employees have collectively volunteered more than 65,000 hours of pro bono service, an effort that has reached into 23 countries.           
  • A Deep Dive Into Washington’s Newly Approved Pilot to Allow Non-Lawyers to Practice Law On Dec. 5, in a move to enhance access to justice, the Supreme Court of the state of Washington issued a historic order authorizing a regulatory reform pilot program by which entities not owned by lawyers will be able to deliver legal services.  
  • Where Access To Justice Leaders Will Be Focused In 2025 As they await the potential impacts of a new presidential administration and the GOP-controlled Congress, access to justice leaders across the country say they’re headed into 2025 with an eye on issues like use of nonattorney professionals and AI technology to help address the ever-increasing need for free or affordable legal services.        
  • New Bill Introduced to Protect Amtrak Riders’ Legal Rights Nationwide Lawmakers recently proposed new legislation designed to protect Amtrak riders’ legal rights and improve accountability. The bill addresses unfair arbitration policies that limit passengers’ access to justice.   
  • Kapolei and Honolulu Access to Justice Rooms Continue to Provide Vital Legal Services Since the inception of the Kapolei Access to Justice Room in 2012, attorneys have provided over 3,090 free consultations, assisting thousands of O‘ahu residents with essential legal information on family law matters.          
  • Generative AI And Access To Justice: Incremental Solutions Or Overhyped Promises? Sure, generative AI could expand access to justice, but will its potential ever be fully realized