2021 Judicial Conference Program

Legislative Priorities and Review A Legislative Review Team composed of several committee members held several calls during the 2020 Legislative Session to review pending legislation and provide a recommended response to the Legislative Committee. Can I Help You? Online Course The committee monitored progress on the development of an online course produced by a vendor working with Access to Justice and Judicial Education. The course teaches non-judicial court staff basic ethical and legal principles necessary to distinguish legal advice from legal information so they can better serve the public. The course went live in Summer 2020 and will be offered through the Judicial College’s Professional Development Department. Judicial College Course. Judge White led a team of faculty members in presenting a Judicial College course on “The Accessible Courtroom: Addressing the Needs of Persons with Disabilities” on February 20, 2020. Faculty members, in addition to Judge White, included Eve Hill, Brown, Goldstein & Levy, Warren Hedges, Fair Practices Officer, and Ronza Othman, President, National Federation of the Blind, Maryland Chapter. The course was well received. The Committee has been asked to present the course again in 2022. Judicial College Webinar. Judge White is currently planning a webinar to be offered on the same topic. Faculty members for the webinar, which will be recorded in Fall, 2020, will include Judge White, Ms. Othman, Mr. Hedges, and Magistrate Theresa Furnari. Language Access Plan The Language Access Subcommittee completed work on and approved a revised Language Access Plan. That plan was reviewed and approved by the CACR Committee at its August 6, 2020, meeting. The revised Language Access Plan will be submitted to the Judicial Council for final approval at the council’s November 2020 meeting. Community Relations Subcommittee The Community Relations Subcommittee develops resources to enhance the public’s understanding of the Maryland Judiciary and to aid the Judiciary in communicating effectively through the media and in a variety of platforms. The subcommittee is staffed by Government Relations and Public Affairs. Speakers Bureau In response to COVID-19, the Community Relations Subcommittee shifted the way it connects and networks with schools across the state as school systems continue to assess how to best continue operations during the pandemic. Despite the global pandemic, judges have found ways to connect with schools and various community groups by utilizing digital platforms, such as Zoom. The Speakers Bureau continues to highlight these efforts and speaking engagements by featuring judges in the monthly internal publication of the Judges’ Gazette. The goal of featuring these speaking engagements is to motivate other judges to get involved in their communities. Additionally, for a third year in a row, the subcommittee continues to welcome new judges by introducing them to the Speakers Bureau during judicial onboarding at the Administrative Office of the Courts in Annapolis. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Judicial Conference in Cambridge, Maryland was canceled. The Judicial Conference is one of the best opportunities for recruitment of new judges to the Speakers Bureau roster, however, the subcommittee has continued its efforts to grow its list of participating judges. The subcommittee is also in the process of revamping its online section of mdcourts.gov to create a more user-friendly webpage for educators and community leaders, including the possibility of offering judges via virtual technology. Judicial Education SUBCOMMITTEES

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