Three new members named to the Coalition for Court Access
The legal aid organization develops and implements a statewide plan to improve the availability and quality of access to civil legal services for persons of limited means.
The legal aid organization develops and implements a statewide plan to improve the availability and quality of access to civil legal services for persons of limited means.
The Indiana Supreme Court has appointed several new members to the Coalition for Court Access.
The Coalition for Court Access, which oversees Indiana’s civil legal aid programs, is making changes to its structure by expanding the number of members, giving the Indiana State Bar Association the ability to make appointments and eliminating the 12 district committees.
New appointments and reappointments have been made to the Coalition for Court Access, the Indiana Supreme Court announced Friday.
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush will serve a second term as head of the Hoosier judiciary after a unanimous reappointment vote Wednesday from the Judicial Nominating Commission.
The Indiana Supreme Court has amended Code of Judicial Conduct Rule 2.2 dealing with the impartiality and fairness of Indiana judges.
A recent study examined 12 separate legal services agencies around Indiana and calculated the organizations’ social return on investment. The group dug into the financials for the year 2017 and concluded that for every $1 invested in Indiana legal aid that year, the state received $6.70 in immediate and long-term financial benefits.
The Coalition for Court Access recently launched the website Indianalegalhelp.org. Now, Hoosiers needing help with a divorce, child custody issue, eviction or other civil legal problems have a new place to find answers and additional resources without having to make a phone call, schedule an appointment or even drive to a courthouse.
Indiana Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Slaughter has taken over as chair of the Coalition for Court Access, while three additional members have been appointed to serve under him. He will take over for Justice Steven David, who had chaired the coalition since its 2016 inception.
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?
As part of the $400 billion budget deal passed by Congress early Friday morning, Legal Services Corp., which provides financial support to Indiana Legal Services, will continue to receive funding about equal to its fiscal year 2017 appropriation. The White House had once proposed completely defunding the agency.
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.