Around Maryland

Even when the coronavirus pandemic is over, courthouses across Maryland should continue carrying out a significant portion of their work virtually, according to recommendations released this week by a judicial task force. The task force, created by Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Joseph Getty, evaluated changes that have been made within the state’s court system over the course of the pandemic. The report was made with input from judges, attorneys, courthouse employees and members of the public, said Matthew Fader, the task force’s chair and the chief judge of Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals.

Reporters were informed today that the media will have limited access to a key hearing next week on State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s motion to dismiss the federal charges against her. Stringent rules were set forth by a court official in a conference call with reporters that brought immediate protests from media organizations, including The Brew. The chief deputy clerk for the U.S. District Court of Maryland, David E. Ciambruschini, said the press will be allotted three seats in the courtroom and seven seats will be made available for members of the public. The seats would be available to credentialed reporters on a first-come, first-served basis.

Most Black and Hispanic children in Maryland lived in homes that were dealing with financial hardship even before the COVID-19 pandemic, a report from the United Way of Central Maryland and its research partner shows. The report, prepared by the United Way and United For Alice, found that 61% of Black children and 68% of Hispanic children in 2019 were living in households that struggled to meet basic needs. By comparison, 31% of white children lived in similar conditions.

In a first-of-its-kind arrangement for a public university, the University of Maryland will temporarily house Afghan refugees on its College Park campus. Under a partnership with the International Rescue Committee, Afghan families evacuated through Operation Allies Welcome, as well as special immigrant visa holders, will live on the campus for up to a year while IRC helps them find permanent housing. It will also help them find employment, education, counseling and other social services.

Baltimore’s multimillion-dollar climate change lawsuit against about two dozen fossil fuel companies belongs in state court rather than federal court, a U.S. appeals court ruled Thursday in a defeat for Big Oil. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court rejected the companies’ argument that federal courts have jurisdiction over Baltimore’s claim because the city’s allegations of environmental harm are national in scope and involve not just state and local law but the federal Clean Air Act.

Carroll County residents may be able to take advantage of a new federal grant program to receive up to $2,000 to prevent disconnection of water or sewer services. At Thursday’s Board of Carroll County Commissioners meeting, commissioners approved a request from the Department of the Comptroller to participate in the federally funded Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.