Access to justice could be compromised for Americans living near the poverty line as a result of Congress’ vote on November 17 to slash funding for the Legal Services Corporation by $56 million, or about 15 percent, for fiscal year 2012, according to American Bar Association President William T. (Bill) Robinson III.
Robinson said “Funding provided through the Legal Services Corporation is the only way millions of Americans can bring their civil cases—child support and custody decisions, foreclosures, and veterans’ benefit disputes, for example—to court. Congress must weigh the need to shrink our nation’s burgeoning budget deficit against the fundamental need of low-income citizens to access our justice system. While the LSC stands to lose $56 million in the budget agreement, the American Bar Association will work diligently with Congress to seek restoration of the lost and desperately needed funding in a future budget year.”
The Legal Services Corporpation (LSC) is the nation’s single largest provider of civil legal aid, distributing 95 percent of its federal appropriation to 136 legal aid programs, with more than 900 offices nationwide. At least one LSC grantee is present in each of the 50 states.
To read more about the current state of federal funding for civil legal aid, click here.