This article is a response to the study “Randomized Evaluation in Legal Assistance: What Difference Does Representation (Offer and Actual Use) Make?” by Greiner and Pattanayak in Yale Law Journal on July 29, 2011. The authors seek to reaffirm the study’s importance in light of critiques from the legal community.
State-Specific
Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation Economic Benefits Statement FY 2011
MLAC estimated that its services in FY2011 resulted in at least $27,730,837 in new federal revenue coming into Massachusetts and credits its grantees with winning an additional $25,486,914 in income and savings for clients and Massachusetts, for a total of $53,217,751.
The Financial Cost and Benefits of Establishing a Right to Counsel in Eviction Proceedings Under Intro 214-A
Stout Risius Ross, Inc. conducted a cost / benefit analyses regarding the cost of City Council Intro 214-A, legislation that would establish a right to counsel in housing cases. The report concludes that New York City would realize a benefit from Intro 214-A of $320 million annually.
Documenting the Justice Gap in Pennsylvania
This report from the PA IOLTA Board and the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) documents the unmet need for civil legal aid in Pennsylvania in 2017. It was compiled in response to a recommendation of the Pennsylvania General Assembly that the IOLTA Board, working through PLAN, should collect data from the legal services programs on clients rejected for services to determine the actual unmet need for civil legal aid in Pennsylvania in order to better inform funding decisions.
San Mateo County Eviction Report
This report is an analysis of 3,145 eviction cases handled by the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto over a three-year period. The data provides the first attempt to evaluate eviction activity in San Mateo County on a wide scale.
Legal Representation in the Juvenile Dependency System: Travis County, Texas’ Parent Representation Pilot Project
This study examines outcomes related to a parent representation pilot program in Travis County, Texas. Researchers collected data from 172 parents involved in the juvenile dependency system. Their independent variable was attorney representation and the dependent variables were (1) return to the parent or dismissal of the juvenile dependency petition, (2) permanent management conservatorship, (3) relative or guardianship care, and (4) aging out of the system. There were 52 pilot cases and 61 control cases.
Legal Needs Assessment of Older Adults in Maine
Legal Services for the Elderly (LSE) is a nonprofit organization in Maine that provides free legal assistance. The University of Maine Center on Aging conducted a legal needs assessment of older Americans in the state. They find that between 45 and 86 percent of those surveyed experienced legal problems within the last three years.
Debts, Defaults and Details: Exploring the Impact of Debt Collection Litigation on Consumers and Courts
This study investigates the protections in place for consumers when confronted with debt buyers. Spector found that when customers made even minimal effort to protect themselves, it helped considerably. Having an attorney increases the likelihood of dismissal, but less than 10 percent of defendants retained counsel.
Expungement of Criminal Convictions: An Empirical Study
Researchers at the University of Michigan find that record clearing interventions improves wages and employment trajectories. They find that only 6.5 percent of those eligible for an expungement seek out an expungement. They also find that those who have obtained expungements have significantly lower crime rates than the general population.
Exploring Outcomes Related to Legal Representation for Parents Involved in Mississippi’s Juvenile Dependency System, Preliminary Findings
This is a preliminary report on the effect legal representation has on parents involved in Mississippi’s juvenile dependency system. Providing legal representation to parents in the juvenile dependency system is found to improve outcomes for children (p. 3). The results described in this report are descriptive. They also find that providing legal representation to parents in juvenile dependency cases increases the likelihood the parents themselves attend court.
