THE MARYLAND JUDICIAL COUNCIL
As the governance body of the Judiciary and principal policy advisor to the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, the Maryland Judicial Council is committed to advancing the Judiciary’s mission of providing fair, efficient, and effective justice for all. The Judicial Council is the nexus through which its committees vet Judiciary-wide policy changes, judicial reforms, legislative issues, and other internal and external developments that affect the administration of justice. Guided by the eight key goals of the Judiciary’s strategic plan, the committees develop recommendations for policies, programs, and initiatives that help ensure efficient operations and the timely and effective administration of justice in Maryland. These recommendations are reviewed by the Judicial Council and, if accepted, are forwarded to the Chief Judge for approval. The Judicial Council and its committees, subcommittees, and work groups include a wide representation of the diverse Judiciary community: judges, magistrates, trial court clerks and administrators, commissioners, and justice partners throughout Maryland. It is through their collective work that the Maryland Judiciary is fulfilling its mission and achieving its strategic goals in serving the people of Maryland. This report focuses on just a few highlights of the work of the Judicial Council and its committees during calendar year 2021. CONTENTS JudicialCouncilOverview......................... 1 MessagefromtheChiefJudge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2021JudicialCouncil............................3 2021JudicialCouncilCommittees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Maryland Judiciary prepares for a post-COVID court system . . . . . . . . 5 Community Impact: Striving for equal justice during a pandemic . . . . . . . 9 Innovative approach: Finding creative ways toprovideservicessafely......................... 13 Meaningful access: Unexpected opportunities presented by the COVID-19pandemic............................17
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