MD Access to Justice Commission

The Maryland Access to Justice Commission strives to make its work product, website, and events as accessible to persons with disabilities as is practical based on available resources.

Our internal initiatives include:

Ensuring that our website is as accessible as we can provide practically.
Creating and distributing documents for the public that are as accessible as is practical.
Providing interpreters or other accommodations to Commission event participants who are hearing-impaired, upon advance request.
Designating a Commission staff member whom the public can contact for questions or suggestions about how the Commission can better serve the disabled community or about the accessibility of a Commission document, website, or event.

Our public initiatives include:

Holding a series of public “listening events” where individuals spoke to Commission members about their personal experiences with Maryland’s courts and justice partners.
Hosting a discussion with community representatives about barriers that persons who are disabled face in attempting to access Maryland’s courts and legal services.
Creating and posting online maps of court buildings, which indicate entrances and parking areas that are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Creating and distributing Beyond Compliance: Creating a Culture of Inclusivity and Accessibility among Maryland State Courts and Legal Service Providers. This “recommended practices” document encourages the courts and justice partners to provide accessible websites and facilities, to be more inclusive to all users, and to reach out and identify users’ needs.
Creating and distributing a protocol for creating more accessible PDF and Word documents. This document informs courts and justice partners how they can create documents accessible to individuals using screen readers in newer versions of Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.

For assistance, please contact: Maryland Access to Justice Commission - 410.260.2508