Roadmap to Justice Project

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Issues in the News

October 2010

US Access to Justice at Third World Levels according to World Justice Project Survey (Huffington Post 10/15/10)

Should courts be able to rule on their own funding? (Concord Monitor 10/15/10)

Kentucky forms Access to Justice Commission (Lexington Herald-Leader 10/15/10)

Budget cuts worsen opportunities for civil legal aid (NY Times 10/14/10)

September 2010

Suit challenges legality of court cutbacks as obstacle to access to justice (New Hampshire Union Leader 9/24/10)

New Pennsylvania measure ensures that juveniles don’t waive right to counsel easily (Philadelphia Inquirer 9/25/10)

Language barrier presents hurdle for access to justice in Tennessee (Tennessean 9/26/10)

More individuals representing themselves during the tough economic times (Eugene Register-Guard 9/13/10)

More on increase in pro se litigants (Ocala.com 9/12/10)

Some good news (for a change) about women in the legal profession (Law.com 9/8/10)

August 2010

20 Legal Ethics profs back ACLU in suit (Projo.com 8/3/10)

July 2010

Middle Class litigants increasing choosing to represent themselves (Wall Street Journal 7/22/10)

June 2010

Supreme Court takes bite out of attorney fees in suits brought against the government by low income individuals (Washington Post

Week of May 31-June 6

Burden on suspects to invoke right to silence (Washington Post 6/2/10)

Week of May 24-30

Week of May 17-23

Scandal stirs legal questions on anti-gay cases (NY Times 5/19/10)

Rhode talks on the impact of appearance bias (Stanford Daily 5/18/10)

Week of May 10-16

Week of May 3-9

Ruling of NY High Court may continue to shape definition of constitutional right to counsel for indigent (National Law Journal 5/7/10)

Benefits of a suspect who likes to talk (NY Times 5/6/10)

Week of April 26-May 2

Maine rule changes helps law clinics (Law.com 5/2/10)

Maine lawyers get creative about ways to help the poor and needy (Portland Press Herald 5/1/10)

David Boies calls for cheaper trials (The Recorder 4/30/10)

Guam uses self-help kiosks to provide legal services (Pacific News Center 4/27/10)

Week of April 19-25

SCOTUS rejects appeal of death row inmate tried while judge/ prosecutor dated (CNN 4/19/10)

Pro Se trend continues unabated (Minnesota Star-Tribune 4/19/10)

Week of April 12-18

Michigan revamps website to meet access to justice needs (WLNS.com 4/15/10)

Week of April 5-11

Opinion piece on SCOTUS ruling on duties to noncitizen clients (NY Times 4/8/10)

Article on Laurence Tribe’s new position within Justice Department (NY Times 4/7/10)

Law students travel to reservations to help with wills (Volante 4/6/10)

NY Mayor Bloomberg announces new initiative for legal aid to those threatened with foreclosure (RealEstateKarma 4/6/10)

Week of March 29-April 4

Week of March 22-28

Fallout/ disciplinary process in wake of Berkeley budget cut protests provokes free-speech questions (SF Chronicle 3/29/10)

Tennessee Supreme Court: Asking for your cell phone is not the same as asking for a lawyer (Tennessean 3/26/10)

NLADA Study critical of public defender system in Idaho (Idaho Mountain Express 3/26/10)

Week of March 15-21

Senate Confirms Obama Nominee Browne to LSC Board (SF Chronicle 3/20/10)

Fordham Students Free Ghanaian Woman from Prison (Inside Fordham online 3/16/10)

Family Law Centers and Increasingly Popular Alternative to Lawyers (Atlanta Journal Constitution 3/16/10)

New York Case Faults Public Defender Programs (NY Times 3/15/10)

Richard Painter’s Legal Ethics Forum post on the “John Adams Analogy” regarding the DOJ detainee representation situation (Legal Ethics Forum 3/15/10)

Week of March 8-14

Canada’s rural areas losing lawyers (Lawyers Weekly 3/12/10)

Luxembourg court potentially nullifies some individual investor claims to relief in Madoff case (Business Week 3/12/10)

Week of March 1-7

Ontario Francophones reluctant to ask for services in French – study (Vancouver Sun 3/6/10)

Week of February 22-28

Week of February 15-21

Justice Department memo on terror sparks legal debate (Washington Post 2/21/10)

Iceland may be planning to be a “free speech haven” (Western Standard 2/16/10)

NJ Judge who opened Little League to girls passes away (AP 2/16/10)

Rape survivor protections considered after Green Lake attack (Seattle PI.com 2/16/10)

Week of February 8-14

NY judge Quietly Steers Only Civilian Prosecution of Guantanamo Ex-Detainee (New York Law Journal 2/10/10)

Access to Justice and Environmental Issues in the UK (The Ecologist, 2/8/10)

Week of February 1-7

Allure of Pro Bono Work Contagious at Fort Worth Firm (Star-Telegram 2/6/10)

Georgia Defender Council Moves to Get Lawyers for Indigent Clients (Journal-Constitution 2/5/10)

Men Helped by Midwest Innocence Project Speak at University of Missouri (KBIA 91.3 2/4/10)

Criticism of Obama in handling of Christmas terror suspect continues (Washington Post 2/1/10)

Idaho’s Failing Indigent Defense System Detailed in New Report (Docuticker 2/1/10)

Week of January 25-31

Supreme Court to hear case on immunity of accused war criminals now living in the United States (New York Times 1/31/10)

An Advocate for Juveniles (Times Leader 1/31/10)

The Road to Access to Justice for Pakistani Divorced Women (Daily Times 1/31/10)

New Pro Bono Attorney Emeritus Program Announced (New York Law Journal 1/25/10)

Week of January 18-24

Report:  Texas judge who closed court before death row inmate could file final appeal should not lose her job (Washington Post 1/20/10)

Petition needed to stop closure of law libraries (Connecticut Law Tribune 1/18/10)

Week of January 11-17

Santa Clara County officials explore ways to provide counsel at misdemeanor hearings (Mercury News 1/15/10)

Radical plans shake-up costs of civil cases in the UK (BBC News 1/15/10)

Week of January 4-10

Chinese Lawyer Jailed for Defence of Mafia Boss (Guardian 1/8/10)

“Pro Se University” Opens to Help King County Families (Press Release 1/8/10)

Opinion piece on public defender staffing in misdemeanor courts (San Jose Mercury News 1/6/10)

Scotland’s “Tesco” law plan under fire (Scotsman 1/6/10)

Lawyers Target “Assembly Line” Practice, Abuse of Poor Immigrants (New York Law Journal 1/4/10)

More on “no win no fee” debate in UK (Guardian 1/4/10)

Weeks of December 21-27, December 28-January 3

Detroit Mercy Law School begins debt-collection legal aid clinic (Detroit Free-Press 1/3/10)

Editorial on the need for help from area lawyers to solve DC area legal aid shortfall (Washington Post 12/28/09)

Week of December 14-20

Hometown story of Innocence Project attorney who helped free James Bain on DNA evidence (Peoria Journal Star 12/18/09)

NCAA restricts representation rights of student-athletes (Biz of Baseball 12/15/09)

Clinics help people represent themselves in court (AP 12/14/09)

Week of December 7-13

Missouri Public Defender Association adopts new caseload rules (Courthouse News Service 12/10/09)

Give Lease a Chance: DC Council and Courts Square off on Tenants’ Rights (Washington City Paper 12/9/09)

Free bankruptcy clinic to be made permanent (Minneapolis Star-Tribune 12/7/09)

Week of November 30-December 6

Public Defense Must be Upgraded (Detroit Free Press 11/30/09)

Week of November 23-29

Lawyer cleared in money laundering conspiracy case (Miami Herald 11/25/09)

Man Charged With Murder Must Represent Himself, High Court Declines to Hear Appeal (AP 11/25/09)

Minnesota Tax Court Prepares for Busiest Year Ever (Finance and Commerce 11/24/09)

Judge Blast Bank’s Foreclosure Conduct and Cancels Mortgage (NY Law Journal 11/24/09)

Party’s Right to Counsel Found Violated in a Rabbinical Court (NY Law Journal 11/24/09)

Ninth Circuit Finds Restrictions on Legal Aid Groups Constitutional (Jurist 11/24/09)

The cost of pre-trial jailing (Baltimore Sun 11/24/09)

State Costs at a Tipping Point (NY Times 11/24/09)

City changes jury selection rules to increase efficiency (Salem Statesman Journal 11/24/09)

Why not counsel in civil cases, too? (Charlotte News Observer 11/23/09)

Week of November 16-22, 2009

Lawsuit Abuse Charges by Western Lawyers Enrages Enviro Groups (NY Times 11/19/09)

Guantanamo Detainees’ Request to Keep Military Lawyers Denied (NY Times 11/18/09)

Week of November 9-15, 2009

Assembly of legal team big hurdle in Guantanamo Bay detainee trial (Washington Post 11/15/09)

Tort reformers, trial lawyers honor Civil Gideon California lawmaker (LegalNewsline 11/14/09)

Opinion piece on closing courts as a result of the California budget crisis (Bakersfield 11/14/09)

Walmart Donates $100,000 to Legal Services (Arkansas News 11/13/09)

Bar Association urges commissioners to adjust funding for courts in southern Washington state (The Daily News 11/13/09)

Counsel’s invocation of Miranda fails (Wisconsin Law Journal 11/13/09)

Washington University Professor helps students resolve disputes worldwide (Washington University Register 11/12/09)

LA Mayor Villaraigosa joins in launch of new Public Counsel Veterans project (AjaxWorld 11/11/09)

Gag order on Defense Results in Reversal of Conviction (Metropolitan News-Enterprise 11/10/09)

Grant means help for veterans with legal woes (WAVE 3 News 11/10/09)

Controversy in Minnesota over increase to attorney license fees (MinnPost.com 11/10/09)

Case could decide whether Georgia can afford the death penalty (Atlanta Journal Constitution 11/10/09)

What happens when H1N1 affects the legal profession (Law Times 11/09/09)

Week of November 2-8, 2009

Pro Se litigants not entitled to greater rights than lawyers (New Jersey Law Journal 11/4/09)

Amid Epidemic of Foreclosures, a Crying Need for Legal Aid (Boston Globe 11/3/09)

Week of October 26-November 1, 2009

Those Near Foreclosure Need Law on Their Side (SF Chronicle 11/1/09)

New Legal Aid Program for Canadian Middle Class (Winnepeg Free Press 10/31/09)

Is D.I.Y. a Good Idea When It Comes To Lawyers? (Fox 4 Kansas City 10/30/09)

West Virginia Access To Justice Commission Meets for the First Time in Morgantown (West Virginia Media 10/30/09)

UNM Law Grad / Adjunct Professor Landau Brings Passion for Justice to Teaching (UNM Today 10/30/09)

Editorial on potential Civil Gideon spending in Wyoming (Star Tribune 10/30/09)

Census Amendment Stalls Appropriations Bill, LSC Funding (OMB Watch 10/28/09)

Bad Economy Makes Pro Bono Legal Services Difficult in DC (Main Justice 10/28/09)

‘Civil Gideon’ Trumpets Legal Discord (Wall Street Journal 10/27/09)

Two Years After Audits, Legal Services Corporation Gets Some Praise (Legal Times 10/27/09)

Wyoming:  Advocates Push for Free Legal Aid Services (Star-Tribune 10/26/09)

Pro Bono Gets Boost with One Campaign (Tallahassee.com 10/26/09)

Ideas piece on Integrating Pro Bono and Legal Aid in Canada (Lawyers Weekly 10/26/09)

Civil Justice Can Be Had in British Columbia, But the Price is High (Vancouver Sun 10/26/09)

Northern Ohio celebrates Pro Bono Week with free clinics including Pro Se Divorce Clinic (News-Herald 10/26/09)

New Mexico Declares Pro Bono Week Oct 25-31 (10/26/09)

Week of October 19-25, 2009

Texas State Senator Wentworth Lauded for Access to Justice Efforts (San Antonio Express-News 10/23/09)

Hampered by Recession, Nevada Lawyers Cut Pro Bono Work (Las Vegas Sun 10/23/09)

Does exonerated GC have the right to sue former company for defamation, etc? (American Lawyer 10/21/09)

Court Appointed Attorneys Should Not Have to Endure Threats (Knoxville News Sentinel 10/21/09)

California State Courts Continue Closures as a Cost Saving Measure (CBS 5 local wire 10/21/09)

State of the Art Center Lends a Helping Hand to Pro-Se Litigants (Brooklyn Eagle 10/21/09)

Affordable Access to Justice Critical (Star Phoenix 10/19/09)

Week of October 12-18, 2009

Court Survey:  82% say they were treated fairly, 68% say they had access to justice (Nevada Appeal, 10/18/09)

SCHWARZENEGGER SIGNS RIGHT TO COUNSEL LEGISLATION: California Becomes First State to Assure Lawyers in Civil Cases

Tricky Argument on right to counsel kicks of Supreme Court 2010 Term

Volunteers too expensive for cash-strapped legal aid services


Equal justice under the law is one of America’s most proudly proclaimed legal principles, but it comes nowhere close to describing the justice system in practice.