Maryland Attorney General Creates Task Force to Help Marylanders Navigate the Civil Justice System

In partnership with the Maryland Access to Justice Commission, the task force has assembled more than 40 state experts to find ways to bridge these legal gaps for Marylanders facing new hardships.

Attorney General Frosh said the task force was created after the realization that the pandemic was going to “hit our nation and hit it hard,” noting that not only is the country dealing with the social and economic repercussions of the ongoing public health emergency but also has been witness to weeks of civil unrest resulting from the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmuad Arbery.

“The pandemic has caused these issues to burst into flames, civil inequities indicate problems with the legal system, which he asserted should level the playing field for citizens regardless of race or economic status,” said Frosh.

Wilhelm Joseph, executive director of Maryland Legal Aid, agreed. “One damning statistic of the American criminal justice system is the rate of incarceration,” said Joseph.

In 2019, 70% of Maryland’s prison population was Black, despite making up just 29% of the state’s total population. 

The same goes for COVID-19 infections and fatalities in the state of Maryland. 

Black communities have accounted for 29% of infections and 42% of deaths. Latino communities, which comprise a mere 8% of the state’s population, have seen 27% of its infections and 11% of deaths.

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