This report analyzes the data from the 2004 Montana Legal Needs Study and responses from over 850 interviewees who are lower income regarding their legal needs and their experiences with civil legal services and the legal system.
Geography
Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research: For Law Enforcement, Prosecutors and Judges
This report gives practitioners the research on perpetrators and victims of domestic violence, the impact of current responses to such violence, and the implications of that research for day-to-day, real-world responses to domestic violence by law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges.
Massachusetts Trial Court Fines and Fees Working Group Report
The United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division published a “Dear Colleague” letter on March 14, 2016 outlining seven recommendations concerning court enforcement of fines and fees. The mission of the Working Group is to review the recommendations, and to evaluate 1) whether Massachusetts laws support each recommendation; and 2) whether the Trial Court is in compliance with each recommendation. This report further sets forth the Working Group’s proposals for adoption and implementation of the Department of Justice recommendations.
Defusing Debt: A Survey of Debt-Related Civil Legal Aid Programs in the United States
In order to better understand the work that civil legal aid programs are doing to serve some of the nation’s consumers, the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) developed this survey to gather data about what kind of representation organizations provided to clients who are being contacted or sued by debt collectors, debt buyers, or creditors. Sixty-four civil legal aid organizations completed the comprehensive survey.
Aging, Women and Poverty in California: We Must Do More
In 2016, the CA Commission on Aging joined with the California Women’s Law Center and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls to host the first statewide convening focused on older women in poverty through the lenses of retirement options, elder justice, food insecurity, and health access. This article provides evidence that the relationship between legal services and Adult Protective Services (APS) and the Long Term Care Ombudsman should be strengthened in order to expand and improve elder justice resources.
Stopped, Fined, Arrested: Racial Bias in Policing & Traffic Courts in California
This report describes the role that racial bias plays in the practices of police and traffic courts in California. Using records collected from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Census, and a host of police departments, the authors offer evidence that a disproportionate number of license suspensions and arrests related to unpaid fines and fees exacerbate poverty among low-income populations. The discussion also includes true accounts of such experiences as well as recommendations for alleviating issues related to the criminal justice system’s handling of traffic infractions.
Five Evils: Multidimensional Race and Poverty in America
The Brookings Institution presents a report outlining a multifaceted view of poverty in the United States. Researchers expand traditional definitions by highlighting the impacts of household income, education, poverty related to area of residence, health insurance, and employment, with focus on racial inequity. Trends in census data as well as implications for policy change are discussed.
Partnerships Between Health Care and Legal Providers in the Veterans Health Administration
Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLPs) offer a unique union between legal aid and health care services. Focusing on the operations of Veteran Health Administration (VHA) medical centers in Connecticut and New York, this report describes MLP development and application in the context of veterans’ needs. After discussing the critical needs of the veteran population, the authors conclude with steps regarding how to go about establishing an MLP.
Economic Impacts of Civil Legal Aid Organizations Funded in Part by the Florida Bar Foundation
This report by the Florida Bar Foundation provides quantifiable evidence to support the economic argument for civil legal aid. Data collected from the work of 33 organization in Florida indicates that providing pro bono service to low-income individuals results in substantial social and economic returns.
Economic Impact of Civil Legal Aid Services in Maine
This report details the economic and social benefits driven by civil legal services in Maine in 2015. The report finds one-to-one civil legal aid assistance involving a variety of issues generated approximately $37 million in 2015 for the state.
Legal Aid Research 