Maryland Legal Services Corp

TO ENSURE LOW-INCOME MARYLANDERS HAVE ACCESS TO STABLE, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS TO NONPROFIT LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS.

MARYLAND LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (MLSC) WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 1982 TO RECEIVE AND DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME MARYLANDERS. FROM ITS INCEPTION, MLSC HAS MADE GRANTS TOTALING OVER $376 MILLION, FUNDING SERVICES RELATED TO MORE THAN 4.07 MILLION CIVIL LEGAL CASES COVERING MATTERS SUCH AS FAMILY, HOUSING, CONSUMER DEBT, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE AND MORE.IN FY 2022, MLSC AWARDED GRANTS TOTALING $22,508,962 TO 40 LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR OPERATING FUNDS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS.(SEE SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION)PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MLSC AWARDED OPERATING GRANTS TO SUPPORT GENERAL CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME MARYLANDERS. WITH THESE FUNDS, GRANTEES CLOSED 209,892 CASES, BENEFITING 268,940 PEOPLE. GRANTEES PROVIDED SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF ALL 24 MARYLAND JURISDICTIONS. THE MOST COMMON CASE TYPE WAS FAMILY LAW, ADDRESSING ISSUES SUCH AS CHILD CUSTODY AND PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. OTHER COMMON CASES WERE HOUSING, INCLUDING EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, AND CONSUMER, INCLUDING PROTECTION FROM FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND REDRESS FOR FRAUDULENT PRACTICES. GRANTEES ALSO CLOSED CASES RELATED TO HEALTH CARE, EMPLOYMENT, VETERANS' BENEFITS, IMMIGRATION AND MORE. GRANTEES ENGAGED MORE THAN 3,200 VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING NEARLY 2,500 PRO BONO ATTORNEYS WHO PROVIDED MORE THAN 60,000 HOURS OF SERVICE ON CASES.MLSC ADMINISTERED SPECIAL PROJECT GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS PROVIDING SERVICES SUCH AS FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT-RELATED LEGAL SERVICES, AND EVICTION PREVENTION. THROUGH THESE PROJECTS, GRANTEES CLOSED 3,253 CASES, BENEFITING 6,005 PEOPLE.THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE MARYLAND JUDICIARY'S ACCESS TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND ADDITIONAL MLSC FUNDS, MLSC PROVIDED GRANTS FOR CONTINUATION OF THE JUDICARE PROJECT. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, GRANTEES PAY REDUCED FEES TO PRIVATE LAWYERS, WHO SERVE LOW-INCOME MARYLANDERS WHO COULD NOT OTHERWISE AFFORD CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES IN CONTESTED FAMILY LAW MATTERS. IN FY 2022, JUDICARE GRANTEES CLOSED 612 CASES, WHICH DIRECTLY BENEFITTED 1,716 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN ALMOST ALL MARYLAND JURISDICTIONS. MORE THAN 150 ATTORNEYS PROVIDED MORE THAN 14,000 HOURS OF PAID AND PRO BONO SERVICES IN FY 2022. THE REDUCED-FEE APPROACH PROVIDES INCENTIVES FOR ATTORNEYS TO TAKE THESE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT CASES AND HELPS THE COURTS BY ASSURING THAT BOTH PARTIES HAVE REPRESENTATION.