Justice Gap

"To the editor: One of our nation’s guiding principles is “justice for all.”

But for more than 40 million of our fellow Americans who live below the poverty line, the promise of equal access to justice has not been fulfilled.

Here on the Eastern Shore, where we have some of the highest poverty levels in the state, we see our neighbors struggling with urgent legal problems, such as foreclosures, loss of parental rights, consumer debt, guardianship and lives crippled by the opioid crisis. They have rights; but 80% of the time those rights are lost, because they cannot afford the legal help they need to enforce or defend them.

So when faced with these complex legal matters where do they turn?

They turn to a local nonprofit that functions under the radar. They turn to a local nonprofit that strives to bridge the Justice Gap every day. They turn to Mid-Shore Pro Bono — a local, community based agency that since 2008 has worked behind the scenes to meet the ever-growing legal needs of our community’s most vulnerable citizens.

We do this by engaging local attorneys in pro bono service. We cannot fulfill our mission without attorneys willing to give their time and expertise..."

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