Guidance on State Access to Justice Commissions and Structures
Access to Justice Headlines Archive
"And Then There Were Five" (pdf, 232 Kb) : Wisconsin Lawyer article by Wisconsin State Bar Executive Director George C. Brown describes how Wisconsin joined the ranks of states that provide state legislative funding for legal aid. (Only five states currently do not). (12/15/07)
New York courts convene "A Conversation About Justice Issues in Rural New York: Planting the Seeds for Collaborations and Partnerships." (12/1/07) (pdf, 143 Kb) . The Commission was originally created by the Court in February 2005 for an initial three-year term. (10/9/07)
ABA Section of Litigation Justice Assistance Fund grants of up to $10,000 available to help legal services programs build private bar fundraising capacity. Application form. (12/10/07)
Washington State Supreme Court rules against civil right to counsel in closely watched King v. King case. ABA Journal article with links to opinions. (12/6/07)
Maryland joins states with IOLTA enhancement provisions as Court of Appeals adopts comparability rule. Article. (12/3/07)
New in the Resource Center library: materials on the economic benefit of legal aid. (12/1/07)
Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates adopts resolutions supporting civil right to counsel, increase in funding for civil legal aid. (11/30/07)
New Hampshire Access to Justice Commission profiled. (11/25/07).
Senior Citizen Right to Counsel bill (pdf, 97 Kb) filed in New York City Council. New York Times article. (11/16/07)
Local hearings convened by Colorado Access to Justice Commission conclude with hearing in Denver at Supreme Court. Summary of hearings (pdf, 16 Kb) . Audiotape of Denver hearing. (11/14/07)
New report, Achieving Access to Justice (pdf, 1 Mb) , finds 80 percent of poor and moderate income residents unable to obtain legal help when they need it. The report come from the Access to Justice Hui, members of which include the Judiciary, the State Bar Association, the Justice Foundation, legal aid providers, and the University of Hawaii, and includes a 10-step plan to increase access to justice. (11/7/07)
NLADA issues report addressing legal aid recruitment and retention crisis. (11/7/07)
New at SelfHelpSupport.org: "Increasing Access to Justice for Self Represented Litigants through Web Technologies." (10/19/07)
Hawaii Supreme Court adopts pro bono publicus rule, waiving fees and dues for attorneys practicing exclusively in a pro bono capacity. (10/17/07)
Maryland Judiciary Work Group on Self-Representation issues report Clearing a Path to Justice (pdf, 293 Kb) , calling for efforts to expand access to courts for pro se litigants and creation of Access to Justice Commission. (10/17/07)
Maine Justice Action Group issues Justice for All: Statewide Access to Justice Planning Initiative (pdf, 442 Kb) , identifying priority strategies. Executive Summary. (msword, 67 Kb) (10/17/07)
Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission issues report on Barriers to Access to Justice in Massachusetts (msword, 110 Kb) , with recommendations to Supreme Judicial Court, based on hearings conducted around the state. Press Release (msword, 26 Kb) (10/16/07)
Mississippi Supreme Court amends rules to create Pro Bono Publicus Attorney status, allowing pro bono practice by inactive and out-of-state attorneys. Order and amended rule. (pdf, 71 Kb) (10/15/07)
California Gov. Schwarzenegger signs new law requiring IOLTA comparable rates. Alabama Supreme Court adopts mandatory IOLTA rule (pdf, 372 Kb) , with comparability provision already in place. (10/12/07)
North Carolina Summit on Civil Justice, sponsored by North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, chaired by Chief Justice Sarah Parker, and North Carolina Bar Association, led by President Janet Ward Black, draws state Supreme Court justices, judges, legislators, bar leaders, and other stakeholders. College of William & Mary President Gene Nichol delivers key note address. (10/12/07)
Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia extends indefinitely term of District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission
Hawaii Supreme Court adopts mandatory pro bono reporting rule. Chief Justice Ronald Moon remarks on new rule and access to justice. (10/10/07)
New South Carolina Access to Justice Commission, chaired by Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal, meets for the first time on September 27, with Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jess Dickinson as guest speaker. Roster of Commission members (msword, 38 Kb)
Collaborative effort among 13 large Mississippi firms produces manual for pro bono attorneys in major case types. Article . (10/1/07)
What would you do with a million dollars? How to seek cy pres awards (pdf, 2 Mb) article by Bob Glaves, Chicago Bar Foundation, from ABA Bar Leader magazine. (10/1/07)
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signs cy pres legislation distributing class action residuals to civil legal aid providers. Fact sheet (msword, 26 Kb) . Legislation (pdf, 25 Kb) . (8/31/07)
New Mexico Supreme Court issues order (pdf, 103 Kb) adopting recommendations of Access to Justice Commission concerning self-represented litigants, statewide delivery of legal services, and other issues. Commission Report with Appendices. (pdf, 5 Mb) Self-Represented Litigant Report only. (msword, 271 Kb) (8/27/07)
Mississippi Supreme Court orders Access to Justice Commission to hold hearings in each Congressional district in early 2008. Press release.(pdf, 7 Kb)(8/22/07).
Nebraska State Bar Association and Legal Aid of Nebraska, supported by Nebraska Supreme Court, open pilot self-help center, staffed by volunteer lawyers. News story. (8/7/07)
Missouri Supreme Court adopts new mandatory IOLTA and comparable rate rule (msword, 46 Kb) . New York's IOLA comparability rule becomes final. In Georgia, Wachovia voluntarily raises IOLTA rates, followed by some 20 other banks. (8/15/07)
Nebraska State Bar Association and Legal Aid of Nebraska, supported by Nebraska Supreme Court, open pilot self-help center, staffed by volunteer lawyers. News story. (8/7/07)
Boston Bar Association creates Task Force to Study Civil Right to Counsel. Press release (msword, 25 Kb) . Access to Justice in Civil Cases: A RIght Whose TIme Has Come (pdf, 55 Kb) , interview with Boston Bar Association President Anthony Doniger. (8/1/07)
What Is Cy Pres? Brochure provides guidance to Tennessee courts and attorneys about making awards to legislatively-created fund to benefit civil legal aid. (7/31/07)
Mississippi Supreme Court Distributes $250,000 to Legal Aid Programs (pdf, 8 Kb) from pro hac vice fees and $5 filing fee surcharge. (7/31/07)
In his State of the Judiciary address at the New Mexico Annual State bar Convention, Chief Justice Edward Chavez unveils Access to Justice Commission video urging attorneys to contribute to Equal Access to Justice Campaign and provide pro bono services. (7/31/07).
In address to Alabama State Bar Association, Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb calls for increased access to civil justice. News story. (7/24/07)
Maine statewide planning initiative submits draft report and recommendations (pdf, 298 Kb) to Justice Action Group. Appendix B (pdf, 100 Kb) : Intervening before problems become legal crises: homelessness as a model. (7/16/07)
Nebraska State Needs Assessment (pdf, 1 Mb) documents unmet legal needs of low-income Nebraskans. (7/11/07)
Iowa Legal Aid receives $1 million cy pres award from Microsoft as part of settlement of consumer lawsuit. News story .( 6/30/07)
Supreme Courts of Alaska and Colorado adopt pro bono emeritus rules; North Carolina General Assembly enacts emeritus legislation on behalf of the North Carolina State Bar. Alaska rule ; Colorado Rule (pdf, 55 Kb) ; North Carolina legislation . (6/30/07)
GeorgiaAdvocates.org adds web pages focusing on judicial support for pro bono, including a message from Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears. (6/30/07)
Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopts new pro hac vice fee for out of state lawyers, benefiting legal aid. Press release (msword, 23 Kb) .( 6/29/07).
Georgia Committee on Civil Justice issues request for proposal (pdf, 312 Kb) for state legal needs survey. (6/29/07)
New York Times calls for Closing the Justice Gap (pdf, 59 Kb) in editorial supporting IOLTA "comparability" rule. (6/26/07)
North Carolina Bar Association President Janet Ward Black launches 4All campaign to expand support for legal aid by targeting four goals: "Educate, Legislate, Donate, and Participate." (6/23/07)
Texas adopts judicial review for Medicaid and Food Stamps decisions, after strong advocacy from Access to Justice Commission. (6/19/07)
Texas Governor signs legislation eliminating sunset provision on $65 mandatory Access to Justice fee for all attorneys, due to expire in 2007. The fee has generated approximately $1.9 million each for civil legal aid and innovative defender projects. (6/11/07).
Supreme Court of Iowa is first to adopt Katrina Court Rule based on new model ABA rule. (5/14/07)
