2021 Judicial Conference Program

During the third and final meeting of the reporting period, the subcommittees updated the committee on their work and plans established for moving forward. In addition, Edwin Bell, Director of Racial Equity, Fairness, and Inclusion for the National Center for the National Center for State Courts, attended the meeting and offered comments on how his newly established office could assist the committee in its efforts.

The Committee created equaljusticecommittee@mdcourts.gov to receive suggestions from within the Judiciary.

GOALS AND INITIATIVES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR

The committee and subcommittees will continue to work toward formulating recommendations in furtherance of their assigned charges which will involve creating survey instruments; gathering and analyzing relevant data; establishing partnerships with community partners; examining education and training opportunities; and, reviewing existing rules, policies, and procedures.

HOW THE COMMITTEE NAVIGATE COVID-19 CHALLENGES

The committee was created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and, as such, its meetings have been exclusively remote. The subcommittees are exploring how best to interact with Judiciary personnel and external partners, where necessary, to gather information or to have meaningful discussions.

SUBCOMMITTEES

Access and Fairness Subcommittee The Access and Fairness Subcommittee met on October 6, 2020, to review the subcommittee’s charge. The subcommittee discussed the various points of the charge and assigned subcommittee members to conduct additional research and report back to the subcommittee on each topic: • Identify Judiciary programs and services to determine where there are gaps in programs that can be addressed to enhance access to the courts for all. • Explore representation rates in civil matters and the impact on the lack of representation, and further determine what steps the Judiciary can take to promote a broader civil right to counsel. • Enhance outreach and specially engage community groups to promote information about court- based programs and resources. • Address access and fairness in criminal justice by: i) promoting a regular conversation with criminal justice partners to share data and discuss issues of concern, such as equity in the charging process; ii) exploring an increase in the age of juvenile jurisdiction; Judge Acosta will explore this issue; and iii) enhancing rehabilitative services and programs for the emerging adult population. • Expand the number of and access to problem-solving courts, using a race-equity lens. The subcommittee also discussed a suggestion received via equaljusticecommittee@mdcourts.gov requesting that the committee review current judicial practices concerning equal custody rights (physical and legal), and whether active fathers (not absent) are provided with the same level custody rights and protections that mothers are provided. It was noted that fairness issues regarding child support enforcement were addressed in a recent report of the Abel Foundation. Subcommittee members will be reviewing that issue as well. Finally, a subcommittee member offered to explore the impact on minorities of the Commission’s work which is an issue that has been raised in the past.

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