Office Details
Administrative Assistant: Stephanie Lee, 410.837.5705
John and Frances Angelos Law Center, Room 412
Education
J.D., University of Virginia
B.B.A., University of Texas at Arlington
Areas of Expertise
Poverty Law: including welfare policy, consumer law, housing, landlord/tenant, family law, public benefits, administrative advocacy, and legislative advocacy
Child Support
Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice
Civil Litigation
Clinical Legal Education
Contracts
Health Care Law: focusing on issues impacting low-income families and the uninsured
Biography
Daniel L. Hatcher has long been a scholar, advocate, and teacher on poverty and justice. He is Professor of Law in the University of Baltimore's Civil Advocacy Clinic and author of Injustice, Inc.: How America's Justice System Commodifies Children and the Poor and The Poverty Industry: The Exploitation of America's Most Vulnerable Citizens.
Before joining the faculty in 2004, Hatcher was an assistant director of advocacy with the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau. He previously worked as a staff attorney for Legal Aid representing children pulled into the Baltimore foster care system, and he represented adult clients in all poverty law matters—including public benefits, housing, consumer, and family law issues. He was also a senior staff attorney with the Children's Defense Fund where he worked on policy development and legislative advocacy in areas impacting child and family poverty. Hatcher's current work at the University of Baltimore School of Law includes teaching in the Civil Advocacy Clinic, in addition to Contracts and other courses.
Hatcher's scholarship has revealed how government institutions of welfare and justice generate revenue by commodifying the vulnerable populations they exist to serve, often with the assistance of private contractors—violating ethics, laws, constitutional requirements, and agency purpose. His first article, Foster Children Paying for Foster Care, exposed how state foster care agencies take children’s Social Security benefits and other resources, led to a front-page story in the New York Times, and has spurred litigation and legislative reform across the country. His additional articles uncovered the commodified harm and legal concerns of multiple child support cost recovery strategies, child welfare revenue schemes, Medicaid maximization and diversion strategies, nursing home revenue schemes, school-based Medicaid revenue schemes, vast contractual partnerships with private revenue contractors, and more—all undermining agency purpose and diverting funds intended to help vulnerable populations into state revenue and private profit. His first book, The Poverty Industry (NYU Press, 2016), further revealed the seemingly endless revenue mechanisms used by human service agencies, subverting their missions and partnering with private companies to use vulnerable populations as revenue tools. His second book, Injustice, Inc. (UC Press 2023), reveals even greater concerns: how our very systems of justice are also part of the poverty industry, including foundational courts, prosecutors, probation, police, and detention facilities, all using unconstitutional and unethical contractual revenue operations—like a factory—extracting revenue and resources from impoverished children and families.
Hatcher’s scholarship and advocacy has attracted national attention, including extensive press coverage, federal and state legislative investigations, testimony before Congress and several state legislatures, his amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, citation in multiple Congressional Research Service reports, requests to draft federal and state legislation—and has spurred litigation and law reform across the country.
What Inspires My Research and Advocacy for Equal Justice, Daniel L. Hatcher, UC Press Blog.
C-SPAN, coverage of author event, Injustice, Inc.
C-SPAN, coverage of author event, The Poverty Industry.
Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., “On Point,” WBUR, NPR Boston.
“US law professor exposes system that makes profit from poverty," The Guardian.
Netflix, Interview with Daniel L. Hatcher, Episode 4 of The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez.
Books and Book Chapters:
Injustice, Inc.: How America’s Justice System Commodifies Children and the Poor (University of California Press, 2023) (Received national press coverage).
States Diverting Funds from the Poor (Book chapter in Holes in the Safety Net (Cambridge University Press 2019).
The Poverty Industry: The Exploitation of America’s Most Vulnerable Citizens (NYU Press, 2016) (Resulted in national press coverage, including in the Atlantic, CSPAN-BookTV, NPR, and participation in a Netflix docu-series,).
Example Articles and Additional Scholarship:
Child Support Factory: Racist History, Harm, and Unconstitutionality of the Child Support System’s Contractual Operations (forthcoming, William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice).
The Commodification of Children and the Poor, and the Theory of Stategraft, 2024 Wisc. Law Rev. 529 (2024).
Commodified Inequality: Racialized Harm to Children and Families in the Injustice Enterprise (Family Court Review, 2023).
Juvenile Court Interagency Agreements: Subverting Impartial Justice to Maximize Revenue from Children, 76 NYU Annual Survey of Am. Law 33 (2020).
2017 Keynote Speech: Poverty’s Cost, 21 U.D.C Law Rev. 58 (2019).
Stop Foster Care Agencies from Taking Children’s Resources, 71 Florida Law Review Forum 104 (2019).
Remembering Anti-Essentialism: Relationship Dynamics Study and Resulting Policy Considerations Impacting Low-Income Mothers, Fathers and Children, 35 Law & Inequality 239 (2017).
Medicaid Maximization and Diversion: Illusory State Practices that Convert Federal Aid into General State Revenue, 39 Seattle University Law Review 1225 (2016) (Article is the basis for amicus brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court on my behalf, Health and Hospital Corporation v. Talevski, 2022).
Forgotten Fathers, 93 Boston Univ. Law Rev. 897 (2013).
Purpose v. Power: Parens Patriae, Federalism, and Agency Self-Interest, 42 New Mexico Law Rev. 159 (2012).
Don’t Forget Dad: Addressing Women’s Poverty by Rethinking Forced and Outdated Child Support Policies, 20 Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law 775 (2012).
Poverty Revenue: The Subversion of Fiscal Federalism, 52 Ariz. L. Rev. 675 (2010).
Collateral Children: Consequence and Illegality at the Intersection of Foster Care and Child Support, 74 Brooklyn L. Rev. 1333 (2009).
Child Support Harming Children: Subordinating the Best Interests of Children to the Fiscal Interests of the State, 42 Wake Forest L. Rev. 1029 (2007). Draft of the article provided to the New York Times led to front-page story. See Mother’s Skimp as States Take Child Support, N.Y.Times, Dec. 1, 2007 at A1. The article is also cited and discussed in an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court. Turner v. Rogers, Brief of Center for Family Policy and Practice as Amicus Curiae in Support of Petitioner, 2011 WL 141222 (U.S., 2011).
Foster Children Paying for Foster Care, 27 Cardozo L. Rev. 1797 (2006). Draft of the Article provided to the New York Times resulted in a front-page story. See Welfare Agencies Seek Foster Children’s Assets, N.Y.Times, Feb. 17, 2006 at A1. Article resulted in invitation to testify before Congress, to participate in a congressional briefing, to discuss the Article on Public Radio International, citation in Congressional Research Service Reports, and a request to draft federal legislation introduced as H.R. 1104, the Foster Children Self-Support Act. Article is block-quoted in North Carolina Court of Appeals opinion. See In re. J.G., 652 S.E.2d 266 (N.C.App. 2007).
Legal Strategies to Address Child Support Obligations for Nonresident Fathers in the Child Welfare System, ABA Child Law Practice, Vol. 28 No. 5 (2009).
Book Chapter, Advocating for Nonresident Fathers in Child Welfare Court Cases, Legal
Strategies to Address Child Support Obligations, ABA Center on Children and the Law (2009).
Co-author, Breaking the Cycle of Defeat for ‘Deadbroke’ Noncustodial Parents Through Advocacy on Child Support Issues, 37 Clearinghouse Rev. 5 (May-June 2003).
Recent Interviews and Media Coverage
What Inspires My Research and Advocacy for Equal Justice, Daniel L. Hatcher, UC Press Blog
Newsweek, Medicaid Funds Diverted from Indiana Care Homes (quoted), March 19, 2025.
IndyStar, Residents Suffer as County Hospitals Divert $2.6 Billion from Poorly Staffed Nursing Homes (background expertise and quoted), March 18, 2025.
Spotlight PA, PA Counties Divert Millions from Foster Kids’ Social Security (background expertise and quoted), April 2, 2025.
The Imprint, Minnesota Child Welfare Officials Advise State to Protect Foster Youth’s Benefits (background and quoted), Feb. 11, 2025.
Congressional Press Release, Reps. Davis and Raskin Champion Bill to Protect Foster Youth Assets and Benefits, Dec. 23, 2024 (quoted and highlights my research that spurred the legislation)
Congressional Press Release, Reps. Davis, Bacon, and Raskin Join National Child Advocates in Thanking the Social Security Administration and Children’s Bureau for Taking an Important Step to Protecting the Federal Benefits of Foster Youth, Nov. 1, 2024 (quoted and highlights my research that led to federal legislation and advocacy efforts with the federal agencies).
The Baltimore Banner, Maryland is Unfairly Suspending Driver’s Licenses Over Child Support (background and quoted), July 25, 2024.
WYPR, Cash for Parents: Baltimore Teachers Create Ballot Measure to Reduce Child Poverty (quoted), June 6, 2024.
The Imprint, Are NYC’s Disabled Foster Kids Getting Benefits They Deserve (background expertise and quoted), April 25, 2024.
“On Point,” WBUR, NPR Boston, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., March 7, 2023.
Ms. Magazine Book Club, Apple Podcast, Torn Apart, By Design, Nov. 20, 2023 (Interviewed)
Baltimore Banner, "The legal gymnastics and thorny history of Maryland’s correctional healthcare provider" (quoted), Oct. 17, 2023.
Baltimore Banner, "Maryland’s prison healthcare provider could be in big trouble" (quoted), March 1, 2024.
Philadelphia Inquirer, “Philly still keeps the benefits of foster care youth despite a 2022 law banning the practice” (investigation is based on my scholarship and quotes me), Dec 26, 2023.
Jacobin, Little-Known Corporation is Making a Fortune Kicking People Off Medicaid, (quoted; investigation based on my scholarship), July 12, 2023.
Harvard Book Store, Author event for Injustice, Inc., March 9, 2023.
The Lever, “The Company Salivating Over the Medicaid Disaster,” July 12, 2023 (investigation based on my scholarship and quotes me).
The Lighthouse, Unveiling the Financial Exploitation of Black and Brown Children in the Foster Care System, June 22, 2023 (journalist was incarcerated former foster youth, and the story is based on my scholarship and quotes me).
CSPAN, coverage of author event, Injustice, Inc., April 2023
Pod Save the People with DeRay, “American Fever Dream with Daniel Hatcher,” national podcast, interview regarding Injustice. Inc., March 21, 2023.
WYPR Midday, Baltimore NPR, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., March 7, 2023.
Red Emma’s Book Store, Author event for Injustice, Inc., March 7, 2023.
The Appeal, article about my book, Injustice, Inc., March 1, 2023.
“Your Call,” KALW (NPR San Francisco), Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 21, 2023.
“The Source,” NPR/Public media, Dallas, Tx, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 13, 2023
“The 21st” show, Illinois NPR, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 9, 2023
WOSU All Sides with Anne Fisher, Ohio NPR, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 13, 2023
Simple Politics with Kim Wehle, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., March 23, 2023
Gulf States Newsroom (NPR LA, MS, AL), Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 14, 2023
Del Marva Today, NPR Eastern Shore, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 16, 2023.
Leonard Lopate at Large (NYC), Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 22, 2023.
“Keen On” podcast, Author Interview regarding Injustice, Inc., Feb. 24, 2023.
The Marshall Project, Inside Story, Paying for Their Own Foster Care, 2022 (interviewed in video news investigation; story based on my research).
KPFA “Against the Grain” (Berkley, CA), Profiting from Injustice, Author interview with Daniel L. Hatcher regarding Injustice, Inc., March 13, 2023.
NPR, New York City Will Stop Collecting Social Security from Children in Foster Care, 2022 (story about NYC stopping harmful practice as a result of my scholarship and advocacy).
Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly took $5 Million in Foster Children's Social Security Benefits (investigation is based on my scholarship and quotes me).
Press Release, D.C. Councilmember Nadeau (quoting me and discussing my work in support of bill to protect foster children's resources), 2022.
The Marshall Project, Foster Care Agencies Take Millions of Dollars Owed to Kids, 2022 (investigation is based on my scholarship and quotes me).
NPR Special Series, The Hidden Bill for Foster Care, 2021-22 (series/investigation based on my scholarship and advocacy, and includes my interview, and was a finalist for the Pulitzer. I provided extensive background expertise over multiple years to the journalists).
Baltimore Banner, "A Baltimore woman has had her food benefits canceled repeatedly. This time she fought back," (quoted), 2022.
NBC, Children that Pay (I am interviewed and my research contributed to the documentary that aired on primetime), 2021.
ProPublica, These Single Moms Are Forced To Choose: Reveal Their Sexual Histories or Forfeit Welfare, 2021 (investigation is based on my scholarship and quotes me).
CBS Chicago, Foster Kids Footing the Bill For Their Own Services, 2021 (TV investigation based on my research and advocacy, and interviews me).
Equitable Dinners Atlanta, June 14, 2020. (Collaborated with a playwright to convert my scholarship into a play for the event, and I was the keynote speaker).
Netflix, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez (I am interviewed in the series as an expert), 2020.
Los Angeles Times, “Troubled companies made him billions. A prison phone investment made him enemies”, September 5, 2019 (quoted).
Chanel 7 News Boston, 7Investigates: Foster Children’s Money, May 9, 2019 (news story based on an issue/research in my book, The Poverty Industry).
Mother Jones, How One Company is Making Millions off Trump’s War on the Poor, February 2019 (quoted and based on my research)
Baltimore Sun, Bills in Annapolis aim to allow greater public scrutiny of Maryland Judges, February 11, 2019 (quoted).
Fox 45 News Baltimore, Judges name coded out on bail cases, April 17, 2019 (based on my clinic case; interviews me and my student).
San Francisco Review of Books, Book Review of The Poverty Industry, October 22, 2018, http://www.sanfranciscoreviewofbooks.com/2018/10/book-review-poverty-industry.html
Political Science Quarterly, Book Review of The Poverty Industry, Spring 2018, https://www.psqonline.org/article.cfm?IDArticle=19767&fbclid=IwAR16re7Vkx7WO-1Q49dc6xFs5DEaUWJJTqxvH5SMmbpgxbtxjdgPhxicyQI
CPz Deep Dive, Podcast Interview of Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, March 27, 2018, https://colleenpatrick.com/podcasts/the-poverty-industry/?fbclid=IwAR0Uo0aEApxO_LeG0uz-YrQcrZoKjxhQq3kerIt8hw3GJUxjqSfebrDYHdw
The Atlantic, When Prisoners are a “revenue opportunity”, August 10, 2017 (quoted), https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/08/remote-video-visitation/535095/?fbclid=IwAR3kliOIOPWR4ugDgZRC3OiKUmSeln0pjhmItZfKQBefKUJfv9FZq1G5rN4
Health Care Blog, Book Review of The Poverty Industry, October 31, 2016, https://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2016/10/31/the-perversion-of-fiscal-federalism-daniel-l-hatchers-the-poverty-industry-the-exploitation-of-americas-most-vulnerable-citizens/
New Books Network, Book Review of The Poverty Industry, Nov. 8, 2016, https://newbooksnetwork.com/daniel-hatcher-the-poverty-industry-the-exploitation-of-americas-most-vulnerable-citizens-nyu-press-2016/?fbclid=IwAR1oaLcIwx0Xbgi804KUJaBcd26lCwASFvznMJPmiV2l4oz5zwpwM9bEjAg
The Healthcare Policy Podcast, Interview of Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, September 23, 2016, https://www.thehealthcarepolicypodcast.com/2016/09/daniel-l-hatchers-the-poverty-industry-the-exploitation-of-americas-most-vulnerable-citizens-septemb.html?fbclid=IwAR1JpgGZpxaOTW6fHbfLuJxn9z5aHwG9JoDE7wXhQRoUF9pQKsFYYqeHICI
KB00 Radio Portland Oregon, Interview of Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, September 12, 2016, https://www.kboo.org/media/52393-poverty-industry-exploitation-americas-most-vulnerable-citizens
New York Mid-Manhattan Library, Book discussion with Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, August 22, 2016, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2016/08/01/august-author-library-mml
The Potter’s House DC, Book discussion with Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, July 14, 2016, https://www.facebook.com/events/1756596764554801/
Politics and Prose/Busboys and Poets, Book discussion with Daniel L. Hatcher, author of The Poverty Industry, June 29, 2016, https://www.facebook.com/events/558626897679342/
Boston Review, “Great Exploitations” (review of The Poverty Industry), August 29, 2016
KALW (NPR affiliate in San Francisco), Your Call, “Profiting from the Poor,” August 24, 2016
WPR (NPR affiliate in Wisconsin), The Kathleen Dunn Show, “How Government and the Private Sector Profit from the Social Safety Net,” August 23, 2016
WILL Illinois Public Radio (NPR affiliate in Illinois), The 21st Show, “The Poverty Industry,” July 11, 2016
KERA (NPR affiliate in Dallas), Think, “Exploring The Poverty Industry: 'Children And The Poor Being Mined For Revenue',” July 5, 2016
BYU Radio, The Matt Townsend Show, “The Poverty Industry,” July 1, 2016
C-SPAN, “Book Discussion on The Poverty Industry” (coverage of book talk with Politics and Prose), June 29, 2016
The Guardian, “US law professor exposes system that makes profit from poverty,” June 28, 2016
WAMU (NPR in Washington DC), The Kojo Nnamdi Show, “ How Local Foster Care Plays A Role In ‘The Poverty Industry’,” June 28, 2016
WNYC (NPR affiliate in New York), The Leonard Lopate Show, “How Some Public-Private Partnerships Profit from Poverty,” June 27, 2016
WYPR (NPR affiliate in Baltimore), Midday, “The Poverty Industry,” June 24, 2016
The Atlantic, “When Poverty Is Profitable,” June 22, 2016 (Interview regarding my book).
KSTX, Texas Public Radio, (NPR affiliate in San Antonio, Texas), The Source, “Texas Among States That Siphons Federal Dollars To Balance Budget, Book Argues,” June 22, 2016.
Newstalk-WOCA, AM Ocala, The Poverty Industry, June 22, 2016
WOSU Public Media (NPR affiliate in Ohio), All Sides with Ann Fisher, “Profiting Off The Poor and Disabled in The Poverty Industry,” June 7, 2016
CBS News Money Watch, “The High Cost of Being Poor,” March 28, 2016
Wonkette, “States Find Cash Cow: It is Impoverished Kids in Foster Care…,” March 6, 2015
Salon, “Law Professor: Romney Exploited Federal Spending Loophole in Mass.,” Oct. 14, 2012
New York Times, Cuomo’s Medicaid Changes are at Washington’s Mercy, Oct. 23, 2012
Associated Press, “States’ Use of Foster Kids’ Benefits is Assailed,” March 16, 2011
Huffington Post, Daniel Heimpel, Fighting for Scraps: Foster Children Denied the Funding They Need, March 23, 2011 (discusses my work on foster children’s Social Security benefits).
Huffington Post, Gerry Smith, Foster Children Struggle to Recover From Identity Theft, December 5, 2011 (quoted).
Associated Press, September 14, 2010, Canadian Woman Challenges Oregon over Foster Expense (quoted).
The Daily Record, How Will Health-Care Reform Affect Your Practice, April 5, 2010 (quoted).
Baltimore Sun, James Drew, Courts Try to Revise Debt Settlements for Hospitals, January 26, 2009 (quoted).
Baltimore Sun, Fred Schulte, Their Day in Court, December 22, 2008 (I am quoted along with my photograph on the front page of the paper).
New York Times, Erik Eckholm, Mother’s Skimp as States Take Child Support, N.Y.Times, Dec. 1, 2007 at A1 (my second law review article, Child Support Harming Children, led to this front page story - and I am quoted).
The Daily Record, Former detective tracks down children’s benefits, February 26, 2007 (article spotlights the work of my past clinic student and our participation in a congressional briefing).
Charlotte Observer, Eric Frazier, N.C. taking foster kid’s Social Security money, June 16, 2006 (quotes me and based on my article)
The Associated Press, Don’t use the kid’s money, critics say, June 17, 2006 (quotes me and based on my research).
Raleigh News and Observer, Andrea Weigl, Youth in foster care faces legal battle to keep home, May 14, 2006 (quotes me and based on my research)
New York Times, Erik Eckholm, Welfare Agencies Seek Foster Children’s Assets, N.Y.Times, Feb. 17, 2006 at A1 (my first law review article, Foster Children Paying for Foster Care, led to this front page story - and I am quoted. After the story ran, I was asked to draft federal legislation and to testify before Congress, and my article has continued to spurt press and law reform across the country).
The Daily Record, Residents cry foul in sewage suit against city, insurers, November 22, 2005 (quotes me and my clinic student, along with a photograph of the client and the student).
The Daily Record, One dad’s dilemma, April 1, 2005; Top court hears plea for clean slate on support, The Daily Record, April 6, 2005 (regarding case I argued before the Maryland Court of Appeals).