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Access To Justice Commission Update

TYLA, SBOT, and Fourteen Local Bar Associations Speak Up for Legal Aid Funding
By:  Benet Magnuson

In a very broad and deep show of support for low-income Texans and the lawyers who support them, TYLA, the State Bar, and fourteen local bar associations passed resolutions this spring calling on the Texas legislature to fund basic civil legal services in Texas.

Without this funding, the fragile legal aid infrastructure will face a crippling crisis. Legal aid offices in Texas closed over 100,000 cases last year, and half of those cases were handled by legal aid organizations that do not receive federal funding. If Texas removes its funding for basic legal services, thousands of clients will have no place to go.

The majority of legal aid clients in Texas are victims of domestic violence, who need an attorney to break the legal connections that bind abuser and victim. The elderly, veterans, and persons with disabilities similarly rely on the legal aid infrastructure to secure benefits.

The strong show of support expressed in the bar association resolutions show the importance of legal aid to the legal system in Texas. As Supreme Court of Texas Justice Nathan Hecht explained the issue to the Dallas Morning News editorial board, legal aid is a fundamental part of the rule of law. “Access to the courthouse shouldn’t be dependent upon your ability to pay,” Hecht told the board. In its editorial, the newspaper urged Texas legislators to fund legal aid: “Everyone understands that access to justice is a cornerstone of our democracy.”