By Meredith Girard, Executive Director
Many people don’t realize that in the United States, there is no right to civil counsel. In criminal cases, you do have the right to an attorney under the U.S. Constitution. But if you have civil matter, such as a divorce or custody case, a landlord/tenant, or a consumer debt case, you have to find your own representation or do what many people do – go it alone.
Having equal, meaningful access to legal representation is critical to ending poverty, combating discrimination, and creating opportunity. A new economic impact study reveals that for every dollar invested in civil legal aid services in Maryland, the state sees a return of $12.92 in immediate and long-term financial benefits. The study, conducted by Community Services Analysis, LLC, underscores the critical role of civil legal services in generating significant socio-economic benefits while reducing the burden on government agencies and social services. Funded by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC), legal aid providers across the state delivered 75,968 legal services in 2023, with a total economic impact of $505.4 million. The study found that these services provide substantial financial savings and economic benefits by securing rightful income and benefits for residents, preventing homelessness, protecting domestic violence survivors, and improving overall economic stability for Maryland communities.
Shore Legal Access, a grantee of Maryland Legal Services Corporation, provides free legal representation in civil cases for people who financially qualify and live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Tenants facing eviction, parents in custody cases, people facing consumer debt and foreclosure, and people in need of a will, power of attorney, and advance medical directive can get legal representation through Shore Legal Access’ network of volunteer attorneys. The economic impact study by Maryland Legal Services Corporation showed that the gross direct value of its services in FY2023 was over $4.9 million – that’s how much it would cost to get the legal services in the marketplace. The long-term economic impact for one year of services was $17.663 million. This includes savings such as cost of emergency housing, reduced use of community resources resulting from resolving family law cases, and decreased community costs and increased taxes from access to benefits and better employment opportunities. Representation in family law, landlord/tenant, criminal record expungement, and wills and estates yielded the highest economic outcomes for Eastern Shore communities.
If you know someone who could benefit from having legal representation, let them know about Shore Legal Access. Having a lawyer in your corner makes a big difference. To learn more and get help go to www.shorelegal.org or call 410.690.8128
