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Maryland Judicial Council approves revised minutes, outlines policy and technology priorities
Summary
At its May 28 meeting Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader convened the Maryland Judicial Council, which approved revised January minutes and received reports on bar-exam changes, a statewide Behavioral Health Summit, a redesigned Data Dashboard, MDEC upgrades, an AI evidence clinic pilot, juvenile-court initiatives, and key 2025 legislation affecting courts.
Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader convened the Maryland Judicial Council on May 28, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., and the council approved revised minutes from the Jan. 29 meeting after a correction clarifying that a workgroup “recommended” — not “produced” — the IDEAL approach.
In opening remarks, Chief Justice Fader said the Supreme Court of Maryland welcomed more than 100 new lawyers and that Maryland will be one of seven states adopting the NextGen bar exam; he noted the February 2026 administration will be the last under the current format and related rule changes are forthcoming. Fader also said the court has moved its internal deadline for issuing opinions from Aug. 31 to July 31 to accelerate circulation.
Administrative Office of the Courts Secretary Judy Rupp reported the launch of a redesigned Data Dashboard on the Maryland Courts website, with enhanced drill-down capabilities, improved District Court case-type categorization, and downloadable data files. Rupp updated the council on an MDEC upgrade to Enterprise Justice 2024, describing new features and a testing schedule that places round 1 testing with Judicial Information Systems and selected users through early July and full testing by the end of July.
Rupp also previewed a proposed AI evidence clinic pilot intended to help judges evaluate whether electronic evidence may have been altered using artificial intelligence; the pilot will prioritize civil cases involving unrepresented litigants or parties without access to expert support.
Committee chairs reported ongoing work across judicial priorities. Hon. Fred S. Hecker described efforts on an expanded voir dire project and the formation of a multi-county advisory board to implement Senate Bill 453, which requires outpatient treatment programs by July 1, 2026. Hon. William V. Tucker summarized juvenile-court initiatives, including development of a juvenile justice dashboard, FCCIP site visits, and planning for CANDO 2025. Hon. Stacy A. Mayer reviewed the committee’s neutral approach to legislation and highlighted several 2025 bills with operational impacts on the Judiciary, including reporting requirements for courthouse security and measures affecting jury excusal, expungement, and access to court services.
Chief Justice Fader closed by praising committees’ collaborative work; no additional matters were raised and the council adjourned at 11:13 a.m.
