Dispatch | March, 19 2025

A2JC Dispatch – March 2025 Issue

The March Issue

In this month’s Dispatch, we highlight A2JC’s collaboration with MSBA to call on Maryland’s congressional delegation to address unprecedented federal cuts to civil legal aid funding, including a $6.6 million reduction to Maryland Legal Aid and cuts to critical block grants such as CDBG, VAWA, and VOCA. We also report on A2JC’s recent legislative victories, including Senate passage of the Access to Counsel in Evictions Funding Bill and successful advocacy to preserve courts as sensitive locations in SB828, protecting immigrant rights in Maryland courthouses. In local news, we spotlight a new study showing that civil legal aid yields a nearly 13-to-1 return on investment for Maryland and share updates on tenant protection laws, including new Good Cause Eviction initiatives. Nationally, we examine growing threats to race equity and judicial independence and explore how federal budget proposals risk deepening inequality. You can find all these stories and more in this month’s Dispatch.

A2J Commission News

• A2JC and MSBA Send Joint Letter to Maryland’s Congressional Delegation Highlighting Federal Cuts to Civil Legal Aid Funding A joint letter by MSBA and A2JC to Maryland’s Congressional delegation highlights the possible unprecedented funding challenges faced by civil legal aid organizations. Maryland Legal Aid, the largest provider of civil legal aid in Maryland and the only provider to receive federal Legal Services Corporation funding is alone potentially facing a $6.5M cut from this one source of funding. All other civil legal aid organizations are facing cuts from federal block grants, like CDBG, and other grants, like VAWA and VOCA. Further, the federal government has cut loan forgiveness programs, which will harm recruitment and retention at civil legal aid organizations. The letter urges our Maryland congressional leaders to fight to maintain civil legal aid funding, which has generally seen broad bi-partisan support. 
• SAVE THE DATE: A2JC’s Public Interest Law Committee’s Spring Networking Event A2JC’s Public Interest Law Committee will continue to build on the tradition it started last year by hosting a Spring Networking Reception right after the Pro Bono Resource Center’s Partners for Justice Conference on May 21, 2025 from 3:30pm to 6pm. PILC wants to foster a strong public interest community within the MSBA and all PILC members are welcome at the in-person reception! 
• The Access to Counsel in Evictions Funding Bill, SB154, Passes the Senate The Access to Counsel in Evictions Funding bill that sought to lift the sunset on ACE Funding made it out of the Senate on crossover day. The bill was amended to allow for an additional year of funding for ACE in response to the extremely challenging budget environment. Additionally, the Task Force that monitored funding and implementation of the ACE law was transferred from the Office of Attorney General to the Department of Housing and Community Development.
• Courts Remain a Sensitive Location in SB828 Despite much back and forth and many amendments to SB828, A2JC joined coalition partners to successfully advocate for courts to remain named as a sensitive location, where the Attorney General must provide guidance on ICE immigration in state courts. A2JC researched and wrote on harm caused by CE arrests in state courts in this 2019 Maryland Bar Journal article. Due Process Rights Threatened in SB46                                           A2JC 

A2J Insights

• Race Equity and DEI Under Threat: The Access to Justice Perspective For those who work in access to justice attacks on race equity are not abstract policy debates but existential threats to fairness in the legal system, economic opportunities, and the ability of marginalized communities to seek justice.
• The Impeachment of Federal Judges: A Threat to Judicial Independence and Access to Justice Recent calls to impeach federal judges based on their rulings—particularly those that challenge executive overreach—present a dangerous threat to judicial independence and, by extension, access to justice.
• How the Proposed Federal Budget Cuts Will Deepen Inequality and Harm Vulnerable Communities The House’s newly proposed budget is being hailed as a legislative victory by its supporters, but a closer examination reveals significant risks for low-income families, seniors, and vulnerable communities across the country. 
• The Case for Good Cause Eviction Protections in Maryland In the ongoing battle for housing stability and tenant rights, the push for Good Cause Eviction legislation in Maryland has become a focal point for advocates seeking to expand access to justice. Spearheaded by the Renters United Maryland Coalition, this initiative aims to provide tenants with much-needed protections from arbitrary lease terminations. 
• Expanding Access to Justice: Pro Bono Opportunities in Immigration Cases in Maryland In the wake of recent executive orders affecting immigration policies, the need for legal representation for immigrants in Maryland has never been more critical. Despite the growing demand, there are simply not enough immigration attorneys to meet the needs of individuals facing deportation, asylum hearings, and other legal challenges.

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.   

• Maryland Court Help Center Offers Assistance with Standby Guardianship Parents at risk of an adverse immigration action, debilitation, or incapacity can plan for their children’s needs by designating a standby guardian. Maryland Court Help Center lawyers can provide assistance with standby guardianship forms and answer questions on the process. Marylanders interested in receiving assistance with standby guardianship can contact the Maryland Court Help Center online, by phone, or in person at the Frederick County and Charles County circuit courts. To reach a Help Center lawyer by phone, Marylanders can call 410-260-1392. Help Center lawyers can assist people in any language. For more information on standby guardianship, visit peoples-law.org/standby-guardianship.

Local A2J News

• Maryland Legal Services Corporation Report Finds Civil Legal Aid Yields Nearly 13-to-1 Return on Investment                                        A new economic impact study reveals that for every dollar invested in civil legal aid services in Maryland, the state sees a return of $12.92 in immediate and long-term financial benefits. 
• Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative Releases Comprehensive Report and Issues Recommendations to Address Mass Incarceration of Black Marylanders and Other Marginalized Groups The Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative (MEJC) released its first report detailing the historical roots and current drivers of mass incarceration and racial disparities within the criminal legal system.
• Over a Dozen Groups Urge Gov. Moore and DHCD Secretary Day to ProtectAll Marylanders From Tax Sale From Unpaid Water Bills Allison Harris, Director of PBRC’s Home Preservation Project, joined a coalition of housing advocates to urge the passage of HB0059/SB0912 without amendments, to protect Marylanders from tax sale foreclosure and eviction due to unpaid water bills.
• Maryland’s New Tenant Protection Laws – A Big Win for Renters The Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act (HB 693) brings stronger safeguards, leveling the playing field between tenants and landlords. These protections cover key areas like rental agreements, security deposits, evictions, rent complaints, tenant resources and more, all aimed at promoting fairness in housing practices.
• Court Access Shouldn’t Depend on Immigration Status As attorneys in Maryland, we believe that access to the courts is essential in a fair judicial system. That access shouldn’t hinge upon whether you have U.S. citizenship or are an individual without legal documentation.
• Maryland Lawmakers Consider Allowing Local ‘Good Cause’ Eviction Protections Approved reasons include the tenant damaging the property or breaking the law, the tenant habitually failing to pay rent, the landlord wanting to make significant renovations or repairs, or the landlord deciding to remove the property from the rental market for at least a year.
• ‘Hidden’ Disabilities Step Into the Spotlight as Driver’s License Bill Moves Closer to Becoming Law Senate, House each pass versions of ‘Eric’s ID law,’ the result of years of work by a Montgomery County family.

National A2J News                             

• How Homelessness and Systems Involvement Affect K-12 Success A new report sum­ma­rizes a decade of research on the fac­tors that con­tribute to, or detract from, young people’s abil­i­ty to access and suc­ceed in K–12 school­ing when they are expe­ri­enc­ing fos­ter care, the juve­nile jus­tice sys­tem or homelessness.
• Virginia Court of Appeals Has Issued A Self-Represented Litigant Guide To Assist Litigants The Self-Represented Litigant Guide includes information about each stage of an appeal and contains links to relevant rules and forms.
• ASU Law Will Offer JD Part-Time and Online, Addressing Critical Legal Shortages This makes ASU Law the highest-ranked law school to offer its JD part-time and fully online.
• Civil Rights Organizations Call on U.S. Department of Education to Rescind Dear Colleague Letter, Cite Threats to Equal Opportunity A group of civil rights organizations sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education calling on the federal agency to rescind a Dear Colleague letter threatening to terminate federal funding to schools that engage in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts, citing its misinterpretation of federal civil rights law and threats to equal opportunity in preschool, K-12 schools and higher education institutions.
• Strategies to Support Young People’s Access to Public Benefits Public benefits are key supports for many young people who have limited access to familial or other resources as they move into adulthood. But young people face unique challenges to accessing these important benefits. 
• Mental Health Courtroom in Guayama is Inaugurated The main objective of the Specialized Mental Health Courtrooms is to facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from mental health disorders, including substance use and alcohol abuse, through a therapeutic justice approach. 
• New York State Bar Association Condemns Executive Orders Punishing Lawyers for Representing Causes the Trump Administration Doesn’t Like The Executive Orders attacking lawyers and law firms for doing their jobs – which include representing any cause the president doesn’t like — threaten to upend a bedrock principle of the American legal system.