The Legal Assistance for Victims Program (LAV) “has been a success” by promoting the delivery of high-quality and comprehensive services among legal aid and domestic violence victim service programs. The federal evaluation finds that despite LAV, there is a “chronic unmet need for attorneys.”
Legal Aid Attorneys
Improving Civil Justice in Rural America
The California Commission on Access to Justice analyzes the quality and access to civil justice in rural California, discussing the legal needs, the profile of rural legal assistance, how the courts, self-help centers, and other community organizations can be involved, and how the legal aid community can engage with pro bono. Among other findings, the study finds that housing, labor violations, domestic violence, access to health care and services, legal problems facing the elderly and persons with disabilities, language assistance, and tribal-related issues were the top legal needs of rural Californians.
Economic Self-Sufficiency among Women Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Received Civil Legal Services
This study, funded by a DOJ award, found that for women who were experiencing intimate partner violence (also called domestic violence) and who received civil legal services for assistance in obtaining a civil protective order or assisting with a family law problem, saw increases in monthly income increase and number of assistance resources decrease. The study finds that “civil legal services are a critical component of a community coordinated response to IPV” (abstract).
Psychological Well-Being Among Women Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence and Received Civil Legal Services
This study uses Sullivan’s Social and Emotional Well-Being Framework to see why and how women who experienced intimate partner violence (or domestic violence) and received civil legal services experienced improvements in psychological well-being. Women reported a decrease in depressive and PTSD symptoms over one year after receiving civil legal services.
Poverty, the Great Unequalizer: Improving the Delivery System for Civil Legal Aid
This article presents an overview of civil legal aid and three reforms to improve delivery of services: 1) comprehensive triage system; 2) using business process improvements; and 3) creating legal information exchange organizations.
Documenting the Justice Gap In America: The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans (2009)
This report updates and expands LSC’s 2005 report “Documenting the Justice Gap in America: The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans”. This report, completed in September 2009, shows that a continuing, major justice gap exists in our nation: for every person helped by LSC-funded legal aid programs, another is turned away. This report adds data on self-represented litigants.
A More Detailed Look at Legal Services by Older Americans Act Funded Providers
Among states with sufficient data to form a full sample, this study reports the distribution percentages representing the needs of the people using the legal assistance offered under the Older Americans Act.
Civil Legal Aid Yields Economic Benefits to Clients and to the Commonwealth FY12
MLAC conducted a study on the economic benefits and impact of legal aid in Massachusetts during FY 2012. They found that the provision of legal assistance led to a positive total economic impact of approximately $48 million.
Annual Report of the Task Force to Expand Access to Civil Legal Services in New York
2012 annual report to the Chief Judge of New York State.
Examining the Real Demand for Legal Services
This study asks whether affordability is the actual reason why low and moderate income households frequently do not seek representation when facing a legal problem. The study finds that whether legal advice was sought depended heavily upon the nature of the problem.
Legal Aid Research 