My Public Interest Summer, Part 3

This past summer, UBSPI - in conjunction with MLSC and the University of Baltimore School of Law - funded 11 UB law students to work in public interest organizations throughout Maryland.  Their stories and experiences will be highlighted on Out in the Streets throughout the year.  For more information about our summer public interest grants, click here. 

The Office of the Public Defender Juvenile Division in Baltimore City represents a wide range of clients and handles a massive caseload every year. I became interested in the Office of the Public Defender after spending two years working with youth on the Westside of Baltimore City and in Anne Arundel County. Following graduation from college I wanted to give back to my home town of Baltimore and serve youth who were wrapped up in the juvenile justice system. During that experience I encountered public defenders who were standing up for our clients and fighting for their freedom in the community and protecting their Constitutional rights. I knew that my talents were leading me to law school and from working with Baltimore City youth I was inspired to strive to be a public defender so that someday I too could stand up for those who were in need and protect their freedoms and rights.

During my summer in the Office of the Public Defender, I learned how trial attorneys prepare for cases on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The constant challenge of a continuous flow of clients, cases, and issues was exciting and I jumped into the swing of things immediately. I quickly became the “exception man.”  In Juvenile Court a Master is appointed to assist the Circuit Court Judges with the caseload. The Master’s decisions are not final and when a youth disagrees with the Master’s recommendation an exception is taken. I was assigned to write memos in support of clients’ exceptions. These issues included the proper method for video evidence authentication, issues of Double Jeopardy and Collateral Estoppel, and other mistakes of law that were prejudicial to the client. Many of the issues I had not taken classes on just yet – but I used what I learned and did careful and efficient research to educate myself and the attorneys on the issues.

In addition to daily trial preparation work our office took several trips out to the Department of Juvenile Services out-of-home placements. We went to places like Hickey School and Waxters. Some were secured by barbed wires and others were group homes to help youth with physiological issues and drug addiction. Those experiences were heartbreaking, disappointing, and hopeful. Heartbreaking because we visited youth who lost the right to be with their families in the community because of their behavior – the loss of liberty is no small punishment for any negative behavior. Disappointing because at facilities like Hickey where there was enormous potential to use buildings and the property itself in new and creative programs to help the youth of Maryland, many impressive spaces lay in waste waiting to be reclaimed or demolished. Hopeful because some of the youth showed a real and genuine interest in changing their lives for the better. I walked away for the Office of the Public Defender with a sense that I helped fight for Constitutional values. I helped keep families together. I helped keep in check a system of juvenile justice that is broken in many ways. But I know that there is more to be done and that once I finish school and pass the bar (as if that were as easy as it sounds) I could return and fight the good fight.

--- Gary Stapleton, University of Baltimore School of Law