New York Times Endorses Chief Judge’s Funding Proposal

In an editorial published on December 19th, the New York Times endorsed Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman's call for a a significant increase in funding– $25 million next year– for lawyers to represent the poor in civil cases
that deal with “the essentials of life,” like eviction and child
support.

From the NYT piece:

There are strong moral and ethical reasons for why low-income Americans
should not be forced to grapple with pressing civil legal matters,
including foreclosures and disputes over disability and other benefits,
without legal representation.

There are also practical reasons to narrow this justice gap, a point
underscored in a report from a task force appointed by New York State’s
chief judge, Jonathan Lippman. It finds that the lack of representation
is leading to widespread legal delays, imposing financial burdens on
opposing parties fortunate enough to have lawyers, and on businesses and
individuals with other legal matters competing for judges’ attention.

The task force held public hearings around New York State and did
extensive research. Its findings are disturbing. In New York City, 99
percent of tenants in eviction cases are unrepresented, as are 97
percent of parents in child-support cases. Statewide, nearly 45 percent
of homeowners lack lawyers in foreclosure cases.

The report argues that as a result valid claims are too often lost and
New Yorkers are missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars in
federal benefits. It says that clogged courts are also doing serious
harm to the state’s business climate.

Right now, New York spends about $200 million a year (about $60 million
paid by the state, the rest from the federal government, localities and
other sources) to pay for civil legal assistance for low-income people,
mostly for cases involving urgent life issues. According to the task
force, that covers at best 20 percent of the need for such services.

Read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Read more about Chief Judge Lippman's proposal by clicking here.