Attorney General Curran to moderate panel on access to civil justice

J. Joseph Curran, Jr., Attorney General of the State of Maryland, will moderate a panel discussion of the theme "Access (or Lack Thereof) to Civil Justice in the City of Baltimore."  Panel participants will include representatives from the Baltimore Legal Aid Bureau, CASA of Maryland, and the Public Justice Center.  The following topics will be addressed:

• the extent to which the poor do not have adequate access to legal counsel to represent them when confronted with serious issues in civil justice such as child custody, eviction, welfare and disability benefits, and employment rights;
• the adequacy of pro bono and legal aid resources; and
• the controversy over recognizing a constitutional right to counsel in serious civil matters as already exists in criminal matters.

The panel will take place on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 from 4:30-6:00pm, in the fourth floor Programming Room.