‘Above the Line’ looks to boost middle class legal access: New network formed to help find affordable services
The search for free or affordable legal services is not just a problem for the nation’s most impoverished citizens.
Equal Access to Justice
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Overextended: Indiana trial courts strain under justice gaps, lack of legal resources
Getting legal resources to low-income litigants is a major struggle both nationally and on Hoosier soil. According to the Legal Services Corporation 2022 Justice Gap Report, low-income Americans do not get any or enough legal help for 92% of their substantial civil legal problems.
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Stretched to serve in ‘legal deserts’
Although there are more than 1.3 million attorneys in the United States, “legal deserts” can be found across vast expanses of the country and all over Indiana, according to a recent report from the American Bar Association.
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Small town law: Stories of justice among the backroads, cornfields
Indiana Lawyer traveled to four rural counties, finding that despite their challenges, the bonds of community and commitment to justice remain strong.
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Articles
ND Law School gets $3M grant to defend Mexican nationals in criminal cases
Notre Dame Law School’s Exoneration Justice Clinic received a $3 million grant from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to defend Mexican nationals in criminal cases in the United States.
Pew study finds benefits, problems with virtual courts
Virtual hearings have been touted as providing easier access to the courts for low-income and self-represented litigants. But in a recent study, The Pew Charitable Trusts concluded the online judicial system is still designed for lawyers, and those parties without attorneys continue to be at a disadvantage.
Through pro se eyes: IU Maurer-led study looks at impact of virtual hearings on self-represented litigants
Indiana University Maurer School of Law professor is leading a study that takes a closer look at how the technology that made virtual hearings possible is helping — and hindering — pro se parties.
IU Maurer professor among 7 nationwide tapped as Access to Justice Scholar
An Indiana University Maurer School of Law professor is among seven law professors nationwide named as 2021-2022 American Bar Foundation/JPB Foundation Access to Justice Scholars, the ABF has announced.
New strategic goals set for improving state courts
The Judicial Conference of Indiana’s strategic plan for the next decade, titled 2020 Forward, rededicates areas of achievement previously attained with past white papers while also setting new goals striving for greater accountability and access to justice.
Judicial Conference releases 10-year strategic plan to improve Indiana justice system
A strategic plan to improve Indiana’s justice system over the next 10 years has been released by the Judicial Conference of Indiana, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Tuesday.
Evansville bench, bar backing words on racial injustice with actions
The Evansville Bar Association has put forward a detailed plan to address the problems of racial inequality and injustice by not only educating local legal professionals but also fostering a conversation within the larger community.
As more creditors go to court, defaults increase
A new study from the Pew Charitable Trusts highlights a dramatic rise in debt collection lawsuits, but even as one in four cases on civil court dockets are seeking payment for past-due bills, consumers increasingly are absent from the proceedings.
Access to justice, voting rights, bail reform on ABA midyear meeting agenda
Rural communities’ access to justice, bail reform and ensuring voting rights for individuals with criminal convictions will be chief among several criminal justice topics set for discussion during next month’s 2020 American Bar Association Midyear Meeting.
Trump again proposes elimination of Legal Services Corp.
Proponents of providing Americans equal access to justice through civil legal aid have once again found themselves defending that cause against the Trump administration, which proposes for the third time eliminating federal funding for civil legal aid.
Lake Superior Judge Tavitas named to COA, replacing Barnes
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has named Lake Superior Judge Elizabeth Tavitas as the next member of the Indiana Court of Appeals. Holcomb selected Tavitas from a pool of three finalists: Tavitas, St. Joseph Superior Judge Steven Hostetler and Fort Wayne attorney David C. Van Gilder.
Landis, longtime head of Public Defender Council, to retire in July
Despite working on Indiana public defense reforms for 41 years, there are still goals Larry Landis wishes he could have accomplished before his impending retirement from the Indiana Public Defender Council. In a perfect world, Landis said his career would have led to more judicial sentencing discretion, a greater focus on mental health treatment, and a justice system that values restoration over punishment.
Study: Legal needs rise despite available aid
Despite a continued need for legal representation, few Americans hire attorneys. Legal aid experts said there are two questions the legal community should consider: what’s keeping people, particularly those from low-income communities, from hiring legal help; and how can the profession reverse the trend?
New Coalition for Court Access aims to improve delivery of civil legal services
After establishing three committees to tackle the persistent problem of unrepresented litigants trying to maneuver their way through the state’s judicial system, the Indiana Supreme Court has decided to start over.
Southern District launches initiative to help pro se litigants
In response to a series of cases remanded from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Southern District of Indiana is attempting to recruit more volunteer attorneys and, in what one observer called a “very progressive” approach, enlist medical professionals to offer expert testimony.
Report on pro se litigants presented to Indiana Supreme Court
A report and recommendations for addressing the issue of unrepresented litigants has been submitted to the Indiana Supreme Court but the contents are not being made public.
Lawyer can argue for cost-of-living adjustment for increased fees
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has decided that an attorney that successfully represented a client in a Social Security disability benefits suit should be allowed to make a request for a cost-of-living adjustment that would exceed the maximum $125 per hour that can be awarded under the Equal Access to Justice Act.
MCBA to host trademark celebration
The theme of this year’s Kuykendall-Conn Celebration, the signature event of the Marion County Bar Association, is “Resurrecting the Call of Justice for All.”
IBF announces pro bono award winners
Ralph Adams, the former staff attorney and director of Legal Services of Maumee Valley, will receive this year’s Randall T. Shepard Award for excellence in pro bono service. He, along with other recipients of pro bono awards, will be honored at the Shepard Award Dinner in October.