Child custody, welfare and expungement self-help videos released by Maryland Judiciary

In order to inform residents about court processes and to explain complex legal principles and procedures as plainly as possible, the Maryland Judiciary released 13 videos to the public

Broken into three series, the videos focus on child custody, child welfare, and expungement. The videos range in length from three to seven minutes. 

Expungement is explained through a six-part tutorial showing how to remove information from court and law enforcement records. The state's new expungement law go into effect today, Oct. 1. 

A four-part series takes viewers through the nuances of child custody, highlighting important terms and steps in the filing processes.

Child welfare is explored through a three-part series meant for parents of children who have been removed from a family's home. 

The self-help series are part of the Judiciary's online My Laws, My Courts, My Maryland online video library. Videos have both English and Spanish close captioning.

“The Judiciary is committed to providing equal access to justice for all Marylanders,” said Mary Ellen Barbera, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals. “Although, ideally, all litigants would have access to legal representation, we know this is, unfortunately, not the case for many who come before Maryland’s courts. Our goal is to provide individuals representing themselves in court with useful legal information that will help them prepare for their court proceeding.”