Top judge seeks to stop foreclosures in Maryland

By Jamie Smith Hopkins | Sun reporter As foreclosure cases continue to mount unabated, Maryland nonprofit groups, elected officials and the courts are joining forces to urge attorneys to help residents in danger of losing their homes. Called the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project, the effort will train lawyers to take on cases, advise homeowners or assist housing counseling agencies. Training sessions begin this Thursday in Baltimore and are scheduled throughout the state over the summer. Robert M. Bell, chief judge of Maryland's Court of Appeals, sent letters dated yesterday to every licensed attorney in Maryland - more than 33,000 in all - asking them to volunteer their time or donate money. "This is one of the most important pro bono initiatives of our time," he wrote. Attorneys are already responding. The Pro Bono... [read full story]