Low-income families need better access to legal aid, lecturer says

Low-income families are not getting the access and justice they need in civil cases, the executive director of the Gates Public Service Law Scholarship Program for the University of Washington School of Law told an audience of about 200 on Wednesday in the Robinson Teaching Theatre.

 

 

Michele Storms gave the Constitution Day lecture. She said although the U.S. Constitution states that everyone is entitled to justice, low-income families still struggle.

 

 

“About 12 percent of low-income families have access to civil legal aid," Storms said. "That leaves about 88 percent of families with a serious legal problem without any sort of help."

 

 

This has serious implications for how low-income families tend to view the legal system, she said.

 

 

“Of course, if you’re getting help from the legal system you’re going to view it as effective and equal for everybody," Storms said. "But with 88 percent not getting any sort of help, either because they don’t know about it or they’re denied, the view is that the system doesn’t work.”

 

 

The difference between whether or not a family is granted aid is solely based upon need, she said.

 

 

“If two separate families have a domestic abuse problem, but one family has children, the trial case would go to them because their need is greater,” Storms said. “It isn’t that both aren’t in need, but civil legal aid has a limited amount of resources. We just can’t help everyone.”

 

 

Civil legal trials are not the same as criminal legal trials, where a defendant has the right to counsel.

 

 

"Washington is first state to fund civil legal aid for low-income families and even Spokane has a civil legal aid agency,"  Storms said.

 

 

During the question and answer session, several students wondered what they could do to help meet this need.

 

 

"What students can do first is get an education," Storms said. "The community at Whitworth is definitely one of mind and heart. Your service and an education can help give aid to these people."