A2JC Dispatch – July 2025 Issue
The July Issue
In this month’s Dispatch, we welcome new A2JC commissioners and thank outgoing commissioners, highlight new energy bill assistance for Marylanders, and A2JC Executive Director Reena Shah’s appointment to the Maryland State Advisory Council. At the local level, we provide insight on Maryland’s Tenants’ Bill of Rights and the Attorney General’s Fair Housing action against landlord bias. At the national level, we look at a modern-day green book for justice, how deepfake evidence exacerbates justice inequities, and Georgia weighing allowing non-attorneys to provide legal assistance. You can find all these stories and more in this month’s Dispatch.
A2J Commission News
- A2JC Welcomes New Commissioners and Thanks Outgoing Commissioners A2JC is proud to welcome new Commissioners for fiscal year 2026! Joining the Commission this year from the MSBA are MSBA President-Elect and Maryland Public Defender, Natasha Dartigue; Young Lawyers Chair-Elect, Chris Jennings; and MSBA Executive Director, Anna Sholl. The Commission is honored to welcome them to the Board. We also want to relay thanks to the Commissioners who are stepping off the Commission this year, including MSBA President, Marisa Trasatti; YLS Chair, Emily Greene; and MSBA Board of Governors member, Meredith Hill. We also want to acknowledge the long-standing and deep commitment to access to justice from outgoing Commissioner, Del. Sandy Rosenberg, who spearheaded many of the key legislative wins related to access to justice, including funding for the Access to Counsel in Evictions law.
A2JC Insights
- New Energy Bill Assistance for Marylanders On July 1, 2025, Maryland launched a $19 million Customer Relief Fund to help low- and middle-income residents cover skyrocketing utility bills.
- Reena K. Shah Appointed to Maryland State Advisory Council on Administrative Hearings Governor Moore recently appointed Reena K. Shah, Executive Director of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, to the State Advisory Council on Administrative Hearings. This appointment provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the ongoing strength and impartiality of Maryland’s administrative legal framework.
- Scam Alert: Beware of Fraudulent Websites Impersonating Maryland Legal Aid and MVLS We’re issuing an urgent alert regarding a deceptive scam targeting individuals seeking legal assistance in Maryland.
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.
- Brochures on Access to Court Records, Expungement, and Shielding in Multiple Languages A six-part brochure series on access to court records is available for the public from the Maryland Judiciary. The brochures cover: what case records are available on Maryland Case Search; to how keep certain case records private; shielding peace and protective orders; expungement of adult and juvenile criminal records; and shielding criminal records. Brochures are available in six languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, and Russian. All brochures are available online. English and Spanish brochures are available in print for free. To view the brochure series or to request printed copies, visit mdcourts.gov/accesstojustice/brochures.
Local A2J News
- Officers, ICE agents must identify themselves, show IDs when entering Baltimore court facilities All law enforcement officers entering court facilities on official business/duty must wear their agency’s uniform or, if in plain clothes, must prominently display their agency’s identification card and/or badge above the waist.
- Baltimore ICE Facility Suit: Advocates Call Conditions ‘Inhumane’ Two immigration advocacy organizations filed an injunction in U.S. District Court in Maryland Thursday asking a judge to put a stop to inhumane … conditions at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement holding center in Baltimore.
- Maryland Publishes Nation’s First Statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day today announced that the State of Maryland has published the first statewide Tenants’ Bill of Rights in the nation.
- House of Ruth Maryland Hosts Resource Fair to Support Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence House of Ruth Maryland held its first annual resource fair, connecting women with critical resources and organizations in the community.
- Maryland AG Launches Fair Housing Actions Against Landlord Bias Maryland’s Attorney General recently announced a series of fair housing enforcement actions across the state, securing several major settlements with housing providers.
National A2J News
- Legally Written: A Modern-Day Green Book For Justice On Juneteenth, Justis Connection launched the first-ever national Black Lawyer Directory, a modern Green Book for legal empowerment. Because in every city, every courtroom, and every boardroom, Black people deserve to be represented by lawyers who understand the full weight of our lived experiences and will fight fiercely on our behalf.
- DOJ Launches Unusual Lawsuit Against Entire Federal District Court in Maryland Habeas corpus petitions are used by people trying to prevent unlawful imprisonment by petitioning a court to review the legality of their detention.
- Supreme Court Approves Amendments to Rules of Court Regarding Emeritus Class Members Recent amendments to the Virginia Rules of Court, which went into effect July 15, expand the eligibility criteria for emeritus membership to the VSB by eliminating the requirement for recent active practice and reducing the duration of required active practice to 10 years, down from 20.
- Deepfake Evidence Battles May Exacerbate Justice Inequities Although AI offers new expressive tools, it also risks exacerbating long-standing disparities in access to justice.
- Access to Justice Commission Announces Second Circuit Remote Appearance Pilot Program The Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission), partnering with the Second Judicial Circuit of Illinois and Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Inc., announced today the launch of a two-year pilot program on remote court appearances in southern counties of Illinois.
- Georgia Lawyers Consider Limited Role for Non-Attorneys to Provide Legal Assistance A committee created by the Georgia Supreme Court is recommending that the state try letting people with special legal training do limited kinds of attorney work that would give more people access to the justice system.
- Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Will Make the Immigration Court Mess Even Worse When due process breaks down and people can no longer access immigration courts, that will further stoke fear in immigrant communities and dissuade people from asserting their rights in court.