Turner Station resident Keith Hill is thrilled. After attending a free eviction rights seminar at Lexington Market hosted by the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, he figured out that his landlord has been overcharging him by 2 percent on late fees. “I want my money ASAP,” Hill said as he texted his landlord after the session.
(From L-R) Law students Robert Ayers, Dustin Koller, and Colin Forrest and Beverly Winstead, JD, director, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic.
Hill’s good news came as part of Maryland Carey Law’s Lexington Market Day, which took place Feb. 1 on the upper level of the newly renovated market. Law students and their clinical advisors hosted free information sessions for the community including:
- Know Your Rights: Criminal Law
- Know Your Rights: Eviction Law
- Medical Decision-Making: Documenting Your Wishes About Medical Treatment
- What to Expect for the 2023 Tax Filing Season
- Know Your Rights: School Suspension and Expulsion
Hill credits second-year Maryland Carey Law student Nick Gallo with his mini-windfall. During the eviction law seminar, Gallo shared that landlords can only legally charge a 5 percent late fee. Hill’s landlord was charging 7 percent. “I’m glad I could help,” Gallo said. “Housing law is notoriously nuanced, and we want people to get a better idea of how the process works.”
Clinical instructor Dan Rosenberg, JD, agrees. “We want people to know how to advocate for themselves and know their rights. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” said Rosenberg, who teaches the Eviction Rights Clinic.
At the end of the day, Hill has a few more dollars in his bank account and, most important, knowledge that will prevent him from being taken advantage of in the future. “Lots of time rights get violated because you don’t know,” Hill said. “You’ve got to search for information, especially when it’s free.”