Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland

Anticipating a day when a right to counsel in civil matters involving basic human needs may be recognized in Maryland, the state’s Access to Justice Commission rolled up its sleeves and created a working framework for the implementation of such a right. Civil legal services providers and other Maryland stakeholders participated in developing the framework, which builds on the existing legal services delivery system. Among other resources, the Commission relied on the   In the same report, the Maryland Commission also began the process of estimating the cost of providing counsel throughout the state in basic human needs cases, relying on data from the courts, legal services providers, self-help clinics, and other resources.