Report from Maryland Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force calls for reforms to help Marylanders recover from pandemic

January 12, 2021

COVID-19 has caused significant disruption in the civil justice system and exacerbated economic and racial inequities. For over six months, the Maryland Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force has been working hard to find solutions to critical issues facing individuals and families. Several PJC attorneys participated in the Task Force, including:

• Zafar Shah (co-chair of the Housing Security Committee),
• Ashley Black (member of the Economic and Food Security Committee and Medicaid subcommittee and chair of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) subcommittee),
• Sally Dworak-Fisher (member of the Economic and Food Security Committee), and
• Matt Hill (member of the Civil Legal Aid Funding committee).

The Task Force’s final report, released on January 11, provides detailed reforms and recommendations to ensure that Marylanders are housed, economically secure, healthy and have enough food to eat, are safe, and have meaningful access to the civil justice system. Read the report here. You can also watch the Task Force’s press conference, which includes testimony from tenant and PJC client Lisa Green (starting about 15:43).