LSC Releases Updated Report on the Justice Gap in America

Washington, DC — Nearly a million poor people who seek help for civil
legal problems, such as foreclosures and domestic violence, will be
turned away this year by the nation's largest nonprofit legal aid
network because of insufficient resources, the Legal Services
Corporation (LSC) projects in a report released on September 30th. As the LSC's New York City grantee, Legal Services NYC this year anticipates turning away
at least 32,658 people and being unable to serve fully another 8,666
individuals.

The report is the Corporation's second analysis of the "justice gap"
in America — the difference between the level of civil legal
assistance available and the level that is necessary to meet the legal
needs of low-income individuals and families.

For every client served by LSC programs, another person who seeks
help is turned away, the report concludes. The conclusion reaffirms a
2005 report by LSC that also found 50 percent of potential clients
seeking help from LSC-funded programs were not served because of a lack
of resources.

"This nation is built on the promise of equal justice under law, but
there is a justice gap in America. We must do more to close the justice
gap and provide equal access to justice for all Americans, regardless
of their economic status," LSC President Helaine M. Barnett said.

"Many of these Americans in need of legal assistance are the most
vulnerable among us-they are trying to escape from domestic violence,
trying to avert foreclosure and homelessness, trying to qualify for
disability benefits, trying to recover from natural disasters. Legal
aid saves lives and makes communities stronger," LSC President Barnett
said.

The report projects that LSC programs will not be able to meet the
legal needs of about 944,000 poor people seeking assistance in 2009,
slightly more than the programs served in 2008. In one category —
foreclosures — LSC-funded programs are projected to turn away two for
every person served. Programs also will take up fewer than half of the
requests for help with employment and family law matters, the report
shows.

Despite increased appropriations from the Congress in recent years,
state and local government funding and contributions from charitable
donors and foundations declined during the recession. Funding from
Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA), in particular, has dropped
significantly in many states.

LSC is the single largest funder of civil legal assistance to
low-income individuals and families across the nation, operating as a
federally-funded nonprofit organization that promotes equal access to
justice. The Corporation funds 137 nonprofit civil legal aid programs
with 918 offices to ensure the provision of high-quality legal
assistance to the poor.

Read the full report, "Documenting the Justice Gap in America: The Current Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans." ( 2.4mb)