Jan 28, 2026Strategic plan
The Maryland Office of the Public Defender Legislative Priority 2026
This document outlines the problems associated with Maryland's practice of automatically charging children as adults and advocates for the Youth Charging Reform Act (House Bill 409 / Senate Bill 323) as a 2026 legislative priority. It highlights issues such as racial injustice, increased reoffending rates, federal law violations, and delayed justice. The proposed solution is to initiate all cases in juvenile court, which is projected to save taxpayer money, protect children, expedite justice, and preserve judicial discretion for serious cases.