The Maryland Judiciary has been recognized as a national leader in providing civil access to justice, ranking fourth in the nation according to the Justice Index. This online resource scores and ranks states based on their adoption of best practices to enhance civil access to justice. The Index highlights Maryland as one of the states "leading the way in adopting promising new civil legal aid models that can empower people to successfully navigate the justice system."
Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera expressed satisfaction with this achievement, stating, "I am delighted that we rank fourth in the nation for our comprehensive efforts to enhance access to justice for all." She emphasized that the detailed research findings will assist the Judiciary and its partners in identifying further initiatives and strategies.
The Justice Index is compiled by the National Center for Access to Justice at Cardozo Law School and evaluates performance across four areas: self-represented litigants, language access, disability access, and attorney access. It reflects court performances, laws, and civil legal services delivery systems in various U.S. jurisdictions.
David Udell, executive director of the National Center for Access to Justice at Cardozo Law School, explained that by highlighting leading and trailing states on policies for access to justice, "the Justice Index equips state court leaders, executive officials, legislators, and reformers inside and outside of government to push to replicate those policies."
In Maryland, insights from the Justice Index support efforts by the Judiciary’s Access to Justice Department and the Maryland Judicial Council Court Access and Community Relations Committee. These groups work together to identify needs and opportunities for expanding access to justice in civil legal matters.