Disclaimer: The Baltimore Informer is not a law firm. This article and the prompts listed below are for informational and educational purposes only. AI tools can make mistakes. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for professional legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in Maryland. Always verify citations and consult a lawyer before making legal decisions.
Maryland’s legal system (and any state’s system for that matter) is designed to be confusing. It is written in a language that normal people don’t speak (“legalese”) so that you have to pay a guy in a suit $300 an hour to translate it for you. Whether it’s the landlord refusing to fix the heat, a vague clause in your employment contract, or a speeding ticket that doesn’t make sense, the cost of “just asking a question” is often too high.
But the game has changed. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), you now have a legal researcher in your pocket 24/7. It isn’t a replacement for a lawyer in court, but it is the ultimate weapon for preparation.
Recently, I used this to help sure up an issue that’s been following me most of my adult life. Nothing serious, but a matter that could have been affecting my credit score.
Reading Contracts
Most of us sign contracts that we don’t read because we don’t fully understand them. AI has the solution:
- The Scenario: You receive a 20-page lease agreement.
- The Prompt (what you type to the ai as instructions): “I am about to sign this lease for an apartment in Baltimore County. Please scan this text and summarize the 5 most dangerous clauses for me. Explain them to me like I am 10 years old. Specifically, look for rules about security deposits and early termination.”
- The Result: The AI will then strip away the “heretofore” and “party of the first part” nonsense and tells you in plain English: “Clause 14 says if you move out early, you owe them $5,000 instantly.”
Now you know what to negotiate.
Writing Demand Letters
Lawyers get paid big money to write scary letters. Now, you can be the one who does it!
- The Scenario: Your landlord hasn’t fixed a leak in three weeks.
- The Prompt: “Write a formal demand letter to my landlord citing Maryland Real Property Code. State that the mold caused by the leak is a violation of the ‘Warranty of Habitability.’ Demand repairs within 7 days. Keep the tone professional, but firm. Do not use threats, just facts.”
- The Result: You get a letter that looks like it came from a downtown law firm, citing the specific Maryland codes that scare landlords into action. You can also use it as legal evidence in case things have to be escalated to the district court.
The “Researcher” at Your Finger Tips (Understanding fines and codes)
- The Scenario: You want to know if a specific police stop was valid, or what the penalty is for a specific charge.
- The Prompt: “I live in Maryland. What is the maximum penalty for a second-offense DUI? What are the standard probation terms? Please provide sources from the Maryland State Code.”
AI IS NOT A LAWYER. AI can “hallucinate.” It can make up cases that don’t exist.
- Rule #1: Never use AI to write a court filing without checking it.
- Rule #2: Always ask the AI to “cite the specific Maryland Statute.” If it can’t give you a link or a code number (like Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-211), do not trust it.
- Rule #3: Use AI to get smart before you pay a lawyer. If you walk into a lawyer’s office already knowing the basics, you can spend just 30 minutes with them instead of three hours. That saves you money.
When I used it for my personal needs, I fed it the exact scenarios I was in. It then helped draft a legal letter so that all the bases were covered. The more good information you can feed it, the better. I use Google Gemini Pro (which came free with my Google Pixel 9 phone) , and the free version of X’s Grok. Premium versions allow you to select the Deep Thinking modes, which tend to give better results.
The Baltimore Informer Prompt Library
Don’t know what to ask the AI? Steal these. Copy and paste these directly into ChatGPT, Claude, or your AI of choice to get started.
Remember: Always verify the output, especially statute numbers.
1. The “Landlord Fix-It” Letter
Use this when something is broken and your landlord is ignoring you.
“Write a formal demand letter to my landlord regarding a maintenance issue in my apartment in Baltimore City. The issue is [state the specific problem, e.g., no hot water for 3 days, mold in the bathroom, broken front door lock]. State that this is a violation of the Maryland ‘Warranty of Habitability.’ Demand that repairs be made within [number] days. Keep the tone professional but firm, and cite relevant Maryland real property codes if applicable. Do not use threats, just facts.”
2. The “Contract Decoder”
Use this before you sign a lease, a car loan, or an employment agreement.
“I am pasting a [lease agreement / employment contract] below. Please scan this text and summarize the 5 most critical or risky clauses for me. Explain them to me like I am 12 years old. Specifically, point out any rules about early termination fees, automatic renewals, or mandatory arbitration. Here is the text: [Paste Contract Here]”
3. The “Ticket Researcher”
Use this when you get a citation and want to know your options.
“I received a Maryland traffic citation for [state the charge on the ticket, e.g., ‘Exceeding maximum speed: 54 mph in a posted 35 mph zone’]. What is the standard penalty and point assessment for this violation in Maryland for a first-time offense? What are the criteria for requesting a ‘waiver hearing’ versus a ‘trial’ in Maryland District Court? Please provide sources from the Maryland Transportation Code.”
The Bottom Line?
Information is power. For too long, the legal system has hoarded that power. AI is handing it back to We the People. Use it to read the fine print, write simple legal letters, and perhaps most importantly, to know your rights.
