Researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research analyzed 500,000 bankruptcy filings. They find that chapter 13 protection increases earnings, decreases mortality, and decreases foreclosure rates. When individuals are no longer followed by their debt, they experience several positive externalities.
Legal Aid Attorneys
Special Issue Introduction: Immigrants and the Family Court
In this article, Theo Liebman and Lauris Wren, take stock of the landscape of the intersection between immigration and family law. They present what we know about immigration and family court, what we need to know, and implications for family lawyers and judges.
Reunification and Case Resolution Improvements in Office of Public Defense (OPD) Parents Representation Program Counties
By: Washington State Office of Public Defense. Published in: February 2010 Link to report Link to PDF This study finds that when parents have legal representation in child welfare proceedings, rates of reunification were higher. Highlights include: They examined “every… Read More ›
Representation for Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Court
The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a data research and distribution organization at Syracuse University. TRAC analyzed the cases in immigration court.
Family Court and the Unique Needs of Children and Families Who Lack Immigration Status
This article analyzes the lack of focus on immigrants in family court and the collateral consequences that immigrants can experience from attending family court. Liebmann also finds that most family court judges and lawyers do not know about the implications for immigrants in family court.
Reentry: The Tie That Binds Civil Legal Aid Attorneys and Public Defenders
Works examines the data from major reentry initiatives to determine whether the legal needs of formerly incarcerated individuals are being met. The data suggest that reentry programs do not adequately address the legal needs of their clients. This article then examines the potential for partnership between reentry programs and existing legal service providers in an effort to close the legal services gap in reentry.
Older African American Women and Barriers to Reporting Domestic Violence to Law Enforcement in the Rural Deep South
The main reasons for not going to law enforcement when experiencing abuse was fear of being stigmatized by their church, family, and community. The researchers reviewed data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and conducted fieldwork in four rural counties in the Black Belt of Alabama. They find that when women feel more independent, which can be furthered by legal services such as assisting with benefits and outreach, they were more likely to come forward to seek out law enforcement.
Meeting the Legal Needs of Human-Trafficking Survivors
Byrne outlines the legal needs of human trafficking survivors (including expungement or vacatur, trauma-informed representation, autonomy, etc.), the challenges faced by lawyers who represent trafficking survivors, poses an argument for self-directed representation of survivors who are minors, and offers guidance for lawyers who seek to serve this population.
Legal Services Assessment for Trafficked Children
Researchers at the Center for the Human Rights of Children conducted a survey with professionals working in and around Cook County, IL who provided services to human trafficking survivors. They find that 85 percent of service providers report access to legal services as “critical” for child trafficking survivors.
High Quality Legal Representation for All Parties in Child Welfare Proceedings
This ACF memo encourages child welfare agencies, courts, administrative offices of the courts, and Court Improvement programs to ensure that parents, children, and child welfare agencies receive high quality legal representation at all stages of child welfare proceedings.
Legal Aid Research 