Baltimore, MD--The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), a provider of free legal services to low-income Maryland residents, has been awarded a $542,775 grant by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC).
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The grant will support the creation of a statewide outreach, education, and referral network to help expunge criminal records for Marylanders charged with cannabis-related offenses.
A constitutional amendment legalizing adult-use and possession of cannabis in Maryland will take effect on July 1, 2023.
The MVLS grant is part of a larger $2.5 million allocation distributed among eight legal services providers in the state.
The Maryland General Assembly has entrusted MLSC with the one-time funding to raise awareness of changes to cannabis and expungement laws and support expungement efforts from April 2023 through June 2024.
Susan Francis, MVLS Executive Director, expressed gratitude for the change in law and the General Assembly's acknowledgment of the importance of education, outreach, and legal assistance in community stabilization.
MVLS will collaborate with seven other grantees to launch a comprehensive initiative to remove charges from individuals' records and give them a second chance.
Partnering with various legal organizations, MVLS will conduct public awareness campaigns, direct mailings, and free legal clinics while also increasing staffing.
According to a report, Chris Sweeney, MVLS Attorney, and Workforce Development Manager noted that expungement could significantly impact individuals' lives by improving access to stable employment and housing.
As part of the project, MVLS will employ four community navigators to cover Western Maryland, Southern Maryland, Baltimore City, and the prison population.
These navigators will connect clients with MVLS attorneys, staff, or the appropriate legal services organization involved in the project.
Additionally, MVLS will hire a paralegal to coordinate the navigators' efforts, conduct legal research, and document requests.
Read more in the report.