Fla. Creates Working Group For Civil Courts Aid
The Florida chief justice has created a 27- member “working group” to tackle the problem of unrepresented poor people in civil courts. The Tampa Bay Tribune explains that “… criminal defendants are guaranteed legal representation even if they canāt afford it, but thatās not the case with civil matters, such as foreclosure, child custody or unpaid wages. People who canāt afford an attorney in Florida must turn to a network of legal aid groups, many of which are overworked and underfunded.”
The paper also notes that “… Florida is one of three states, along with Idaho and Wisconsin, where civil legal aid receives no state legislative or court funding, according to the American Bar Association.”
Read the report here.
