Rent Court Watch Blog
Too often, it seems the courts are stacked against tenants. They struggle to access representation, they don’t know their rights, and judges seem to err on the side of the landlord when in doubt. BRU sends volunteers and tenant advocates into the courts to see how tenants fare when those in charge think nobody is looking. These stories are just a few examples of why we think Right To Counsel is so important in Baltimore and everywhere: A tenant who doesn’t know their rights and can’t enforce them effectively has no rights.
As of October 2022, BRU has been collecting data about Baltimore City failure-to-pay-rent proceedings. You can can view the stats and some of the trends we have been noticing over on our Data Dashboard.
If you’d like to help with BRU Rent Court Watch, you can sign up on our Volunteer page!
The Problem With Hats
In light of how the overwhelming majority of tenants facing eviction are Black, these interactions have echoes of the policies that have lead to CROWN Acts and religious protections in schools and other public places across the country.
No Good Options
A lack of communication and a judge in a hurry put a tenant in an unworkable situation.
Calling Up Trouble
Everyday behavior and human mistakes are criminalized in the courthouse.
Barriers That Tenants Face In Rent Court
In rent court, there are many barriers that tenants face. There are landlords, landlord's agents, landlord's attorneys, and even Judges. Let us focus on the landlord's agents for this story.
An Opaque System Keeps Tenants In The Dark
HABC leaves tenants in the dark with no information on when evictions will be filed and no answers on how to get procedural issues with their living situations corrected.
A Fatal Collision of Broken Systems
HABC is supposed to ensure the most marginalized in Baltimore City are protected from houselessness and given equal access to safe, stable, affordable housing. But often it does the opposite and further harms already marginalized tenants.
Consent Has No Meaning In Baltimore’s Rent Court
A tenant can’t consent to a judgment they don’t understand in a system that doesn’t give them the power to defend themself.
Even a Fair Judge Doesn’t Mean Real Justice
Even when a tenant gets a fair judge in rent court and a case is sent to escrow, outcomes are usually unhelpful at best.
For Landlords in Rent Court, Tough Cases Have Silver Linings
In Rent Court, it seems, the toughest thing for a landlord to achieve is to lose their case.
Baltimore City Rent Court: A Stress-Free Place For A Landlord
A landlord breaks the court’s cell phone rules and still gets treated like an old friend by the judge.
Attendance Is Mandatory - For Some
Tenants and landlords are held to different standards for attendance in rent court.
Pro-Bono Purgatory
A judge shows contempt for a system that tries to give tenants a shot at advocating for their rights.
Agents And Rent Court: A Dynamic Duo
The power imbalance in the eviction system is clearly visible in courthouse social dynamics.
A Fair Judge In An Unfair System
Baltimore City Rent Court has wildly different outcomes depending on the judge.
No Hot Water Leads To Boiling Frustration
A tenant is thrown out of the courtroom without ever being given a chance to address issues in her apartment.
Who Really Has The Burden Of Proof?
A landlord is given infinite leeway despite being in violation of the law, resulting in worse outcomes for the tenant.
Negligent Landlords Come Out On Top
A woman is forced to pay for an apartment full of mold.