Why Financially Supporting Civil Legal Services is Critical to Community and Societal Stability
Deja Kemp-Salliey
February 20, 2024
Authored by: Deja Kemp-Salliey
This article is made possible by the generous support from Taylor Tobey and Sarah Brodsky at 9Sail.
Under the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution, a person facing a criminal charge is granted the right to an attorney (generally termed a “public defender”) paid for by the government. However, no such constitutional protection for civil legal matters exists—even if the outcome of the civil legal matter is as potentially life-changing as a prison sentence would be. For civil legal matters in the U.S., individuals must pay for their own lawyer or represent themselves, though most people cannot adequately do either. A fact: people facing civil legal challenges are far more likely to win their legal cases when they have an attorney.
Increasing access to free civil legal services can prevent otherwise manageable issues from turning into larger, catastrophic problems. Though legal aid is one of the most effective ways to disrupt the drivers of poverty, it is the least-funded human service in the United States. Financially supporting civil legal services is a cornerstone of fostering stability within communities, addressing systemic issues, and creating a path toward a fairer society. This article explores the transformative impact supporting civil legal services has on community and societal stability while highlighting specific programs from Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) that exemplify the tangible difference financially supporting civil legal services can make.
Providing New Opportunities
Helping to supply individuals, families, and communities with civil legal services they otherwise could not afford is an impactful funding strategy that dramatically and effectively improves people’s quality of life. By offering opportunities to address legal challenges, people can remedy legal challenges that might otherwise hinder their social wellbeing. Access to legal representation ensures that individuals, particularly those with limited financial resources, can successfully navigate complex legal systems. This support is especially crucial in areas such as family law, housing, and debt, where individuals may face lifechanging decisions without proper guidance. By providing access to free civil legal services, communities can empower individuals to secure their rights, protect their families, and maintain stable living conditions.
Providing free civil legal services fosters a more equitable society. Indeed, it helps level the playing field, ensuring everyone, regardless of their economic status, has a fair chance to defend their rights and seek justice. One of the key avenues in which civil legal aid contributes to societal well-being is by creating new opportunities, particularly through programs like VLJ's Children’s Representation Program (CRP). With the CRP, volunteer attorneys play an important role helping children from families experiencing poverty obtain the educational services they need and deserve. CRP addresses education matters ranging from Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to addressing harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB). This program not only safeguards the rights of children, it also opens doors to new educational opportunities, illustrating the transformative power of civil legal services.
Decrease Homelessness
In housing cases, 90% of landlords have attorneys compared to only 10% of tenants, meaning the majority of tenants lose their cases. Those numbers indicate a dramatic, but unsurprising, level of impact. Financially supporting civil legal services aimed at supporting housing security, such as VLJ’s Tenancy Program and Veterans Legal Program, plays a pivotal role in addressing homelessness and contributing to community stability. Homelessness often stems from legal issues, such as eviction, which can be mitigated through access to legal representation. Taking into consideration that civil legal support costs from $2,000 to $5,000 for someone who is newly homeless or on the verge of homelessness, the factor of impact increases further: it costs up to $100,000 per year to support just one person experiencing homelessness with social services, medical care, and cash benefits.
VLJ's Tenancy Program supports tenants facing eviction or habitability issues by connecting them with attorneys who provide meaningful legal help, including advice and representation. This is particularly powerful when tenants are unfamiliar with their legal rights and find themselves pitted against landlords who are represented, creating a more equitable legal landscape.
VLJ's Veterans Legal Program (VLP) serves as a lifeline for veterans struggling with various civil legal issues. Reentry into civilian life can be a difficult, and the presence of legal issues only makes matters worse. With the VLP, volunteer attorneys conduct a holistic intake to address the legal needs of each client. From there, volunteers then provide advice and resources for those when legal relief is possible. Some cases require ongoing assistance in areas like driver's license restoration, criminal record expungement, and child support modification. Others may require referral to another civil legal services or social services organization.
Whether it's preventing wrongful evictions or serving those who served, VLJ’s efforts highlight the impact civil legal services can have in addressing the root causes of housing insecurity.
Providing People with a Fresh Start
Civil legal aid is integral toward community and social stability by offering individuals a fresh start. VLJ’s Reentry Legal Services (ReLeSe) and Debt Relief Legal Program (DLRP) are examples of legal services that work to achieve this mission. The ReLeSe Program recognizes the staggering impact of criminal records on individuals' lives, affecting employment opportunities, housing stability, and perpetuating cycles of poverty. Through ReLeSe, volunteer attorneys help clients understand their eligibility for criminal records expungement (record clearing). This may include filing pro se petitions or fully representing clients with complex cases, ultimately offering a pathway to expungement. Successful expungements lead to increased economic independence, enhanced employment prospects, better education opportunities, and greater housing stability
The DRLP addresses financial crises that can prevent individuals and families from achieving stability. Many individuals seeking assistance from VLJ are burdened by overwhelming forms of debt, facing harassment from debt collectors, or even being wrongfully sued. The DLRP uses volunteer attorneys to assist pro se litigants in consumer debt lawsuits while also screening those considering Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This DRLP aims to alleviate financial burdens, ensuring poverty is transient and does not define anyone. By offering legal support in debt-related matters, the DLRP contributes to individuals gaining control over their financial situations, promoting economic stability, and ultimately reinforcing the resilience of homes and communities.
The Time to Help Support Civil Legal Services is Now
The urgency to support civil legal services has never been greater. This vital work is severely underfunded, and the gap between the civil legal needs of Americans experiencing poverty and available resources is astounding. Ultimately, financial support for civil legal services is an investment in creating a more stable, just, and resilient society where individuals can pursue new opportunities without being hindered by legal barriers. The transformative programs and initiatives by Volunteer Lawyers for Justice underscore the far-reaching impact of strategic financial backing. By donating to VLJ, individuals can actively contribute to the stability and well-being of their communities, and the financial support from generous donors enables VLJ to continue providing essential civil legal services, creating opportunities, decreasing homelessness, and offering people a fresh start. Together, we can build stronger, more resilient communities where justice is accessible to everyone.
To learn more about the impact of volunteering and donating to VLJ, please visit Why Pro Bono? and Donate. Your support makes a difference.
