A2JC Dispatch – March 2026 Issue
The March Issue
In this month’s Dispatch, we highlight A2JC’s advocacy work at MSBA day, seek new commissioners, and celebrate A2JC Executive Director Reena Shah’s recent honor of being the keynote speaker at the University of Maryland’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association’s Spring Reception. We also look at an amicus brief recently filed by Maryland Legal Aid and Baltimore City property tax initiatives. At the national level, we look at court reminders, how we talk about justice, and tools to bridge the justice gap. You can find all these stories and more in this month’s Dispatch.
A2J Commission News
- MSBA Day Highlights Core A2JC Advocacy Priorities On February 18, MSBA members, including those in the access to justice community, took to Annapolis to meet with legislators and advocate on MSBA/ A2JC priorities. This year, A2JC’s priorities expanded from its core civil legal aid funding and right to counsel to be the following:
- Court Access: A2JC supports HB309/ SB988 prohibits stops, detentions and arrests for civil offenses within a judicial facility, including courthouses, unless there is prior notice or the enforcement happens in a non-disruptive way. A2JC supports efforts to limit civil enforcement in courts to ensure that litigants deem the civil justice system as safe, neutral and accessible and do not revert to extrajudicial remedies for conflict resolution.
- Safeguarding Civil Legal Aid Organizations: Oppose HB15, which alters the definition of a public record under the Public Information Act (PIA) to include documentary material created by non-profit organizations that receive $50K or more from state or local grants or state bond proceeds. Nonprofit organizations, including civil legal aid organizations, are already heavily regulated and must comply with extensive reporting requirements. Subjecting them to PIA requests would divert resources towards administrative costs and risk making the non-profit stop functioning.
- Protecting the Rule of Law and Fair Administration of Justice: A2JC supported HB444/ SB245, emergency bills that have already passed both houses and have been signed by the Governor. These bills prevent 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement and also stand up for the rule of law. They stand up against racial profiling that is currently rampant in federal immigration enforcement, maintain government accountability and uphold due process norms – all of which are cornerstones of preserving the rule of law and advancing access to justice.
- The Access to Justice Commission Seeks New Commissioners! Do you care about access to justice and are seeking to contribute to the cause? The Maryland Access to Justice Commission is seeking to broaden the perspectives and skill sets represented on the Commission. Whether you are starting out, in the middle of your career or already a leader in public interest, we seek leaders at all levels, from different practice areas as well as varied geographic regions in Maryland.
- A2JC ED Honored as Keynote for UMD APALSA Reception Focusing on her Indian American roots, her recent touch back with the motherland, her journey to become a lawyer and find meaning in lawyering to ultimately finding her passion in law, ED of A2JC, Reena Shah, was honored to deliver a heartfelt keynote at University of Maryland’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association’s Spring Reception.
A2J Insights
- Judicial Facilities Must Remain Neutral Spaces to Ensure Access to Justice For the justice system to function, judicial facilities must be viewed as a neutral forum. Marylanders use judicial facilities to protect themselves and their communities from harm and to exercise fundamental rights.
- Preserving Trust: Why Nonpartisan Nonprofits are Essential to Maryland’s Justice Ecosystem In the pursuit of equal access to justice, the law is only one part of the equation. For many Marylanders, the bridge to justice is built by nonprofit organizations.
- Access to Justice is a Pillar of the Rule of Law The rule of law depends entirely on the ability of the people to access the legal system without fear or prejudice. It requires equal access to justice for everyone to seek help when needed, regardless of immigration status.
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.
- Online Dispute Resolution for Minor Traffic Cases Available in Pilot Locations The Maryland Judiciary now offers a traffic case resolution portal on Maryland Online Resolutions (MDOR) for minor traffic cases in certain counties. The new online platform allows users to resolve payable traffic citations without visiting the courthouse. Using MDOR, anyone with a traffic citation can plead guilty with an explanation, plead guilty and request a payment plan, or plead not guilty and request a trial. MDOR’s traffic case resolution portal is available for cases in Montgomery, Allegany, Garrett, Howard, and Talbot counties and will later be expanded statewide. Visit the Maryland Courts website for more information on using MDOR for traffic citations.
Local A2J News
- Mayor Brandon M. Scott Announces Property Tax Affordability Initiatives after Settling Suit with Maryland Legal Aid Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced two major initiatives to improve the property tax experience for Baltimore residents. These initiatives continue Baltimore’s effort to responsibly improve the city’s property tax competitiveness and further ease the burden for our most vulnerable residents.
- Maryland Legal Aid Leads National Amicus Brief to Protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Maryland Legal Aid filed an amicus brief on behalf of legal services organizations across the country in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts in National Council of Nonprofits v. McMahon, challenging a recent U.S. Department of Education rule that changes how the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program is carried out.
- Maryland Legal Aid Secures $1.4M Jury Verdict in Unlicensed Housing Case Involving Older Adults and Tenants with Disabilities Maryland Legal Aid secured jury verdicts totaling $1,434,981 on behalf of Ms. Margaret Little and four other Baltimore City tenants living in two unlicensed federally subsidized multi-family rental properties for older adults and people with disabilities.
- Maryland Pro Bono Service Awards Each year, the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, as the pro bono arm of the Maryland State Bar Association, recognizes members of the legal community who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to pro bono service for those in need through the Maryland Pro Bono Service Awards.
- Maryland Ramps up Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Facilities Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) filed suit in federal court to force Immigration and Customs Enforcement to turn over documents the state is seeking as part of its investigation of unlawful conditions at the immigrant holding facility at the George H. Fallon Building in downtown Baltimore.
National A2J News
- Court Reminders Have Broad Bipartisan Support New research from The Pew Charitable Trusts sheds light on how people in the U.S. feel about court reminders and why people miss court. The results suggest that court reminders aren’t only effective—they’re popular, too.
- ABA President Michelle Behnke on How We Talk About Justice American Bar Association (ABA) President Michelle Behnke appears on Talk Justice to discuss America’s 250th anniversary, legal deserts, artificial intelligence (AI), promoting civics awareness among the general public, and building support for civil legal services.
- Kafka in Court: San Francisco’s Legal Resistance Takes on ICE Detentions A series of wins showcase a coalition of nonprofits, pro bono lawyers, and others fighting mass deportation.
- Wisconsin Bill Would Guarantee Legal Counsel for Renters Facing Eviction Residential tenants facing eviction in Wisconsin would be guaranteed legal counsel under legislation being circulated for co-sponsorship.
- Florida Legal Nonprofit Launches AI Tool To Bridge Justice Gap Bay Area Legal Services recently launched Bailey B. as a free, AI legal assistant meant to help residents navigate landlord-tenant issues under Florida law. The firm provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in the Tampa Bay area.
- Inside CHAMPS’ Evidence-Based Holistic Approach to Child Advocacy The discussion covers CHAMPS institutional design, service model, and an ongoing evaluation testing whether medical–legal partnership services can reduce certain downstream system involvement—especially child welfare referrals that may be driven by poverty-related conditions rather than maltreatment.
- ACLU Appellate Legal Team Fights for Equal Justice For All They’re supporting an effort to ensure that all Californians, regardless of their financial status, have a transcript of their civil case proceedings — without which they have no real chance of mounting a successful appeal.