- Growing numbers of poor people swamp legal aid offices in U.S., By Tony Pugh, July 12, 2009, Detroit Free Press: “After years of funding shortfalls, legal aid societies across the country are being overwhelmed by growing numbers of poor and unemployed Americans who face eviction, foreclosure, bankruptcy and other legal problems tied to the recession. The crush of new clients comes as the cash-strapped agencies cut staff and services…”
- A fair shake for legal aid, Editorial, July 13, 2009, Washington Post: “For the past 13 years, the Legal Services Corp. has had its hands tied while trying to fulfill its mission of representing poor people in civil matters. Legal aid lawyers, for example, have been prohibited from using federal and even privately procured or state and local funds to initiate class actions; they have also been barred from seeking attorney’s fees even when they prevail in court — a benefit available to other lawyers in many civil rights or consumer protection matters…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty