The safety net of free and low-cost legal aid is being strained as demand rises and funding shrinks, Inland legal-aid providers said.
People who need their help now may have to wait longer to get it or even be turned away.
Legal-aid agencies typically offer advice and representation on housing, family and other issues to clients who meet income guidelines. Their funding comes largely from federal, state and local government grants, and from programs in each state that pool interest from lawyer-managed trust accounts.
Roberta Shouse, executive director of Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino: "Over the past several years there has also been a steady demand for help with family law, such as divorce, custody and especially guardianship cases." The agency handled more than 1,000 guardianships in 2008.
Before this latest financial crisis, according to some estimates, the state's legal aid programs were only able to serve one of every two clients seeking help.
But now "there's a possibility of layoffs."
Full Article and Source:
Demand for legal-aid services rises as funding falls
People who need their help now may have to wait longer to get it or even be turned away.
Legal-aid agencies typically offer advice and representation on housing, family and other issues to clients who meet income guidelines. Their funding comes largely from federal, state and local government grants, and from programs in each state that pool interest from lawyer-managed trust accounts.
Roberta Shouse, executive director of Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino: "Over the past several years there has also been a steady demand for help with family law, such as divorce, custody and especially guardianship cases." The agency handled more than 1,000 guardianships in 2008.
Before this latest financial crisis, according to some estimates, the state's legal aid programs were only able to serve one of every two clients seeking help.
But now "there's a possibility of layoffs."
Full Article and Source:
Demand for legal-aid services rises as funding falls
4 comments:
1,000 guardianship cases? I wonder whose side they were working for.
This article makes me wonder - how many current guardianship cases are there in the USA? The total number must be staggering. How does anyone find this information?
Gheez! 1,000 Guardianship cases?
That's because the PERP Legislators who are also Attorneys changed the laws from 'incompetent' to 'incompacitated' to make it easier to rip off the elderly. PIGS!
wow. over a thousand cases last year in just one agency. it's kind of crazy, i think. i mean, come on... it's already a given that demand for free and low-cost help is going to rise soon, but really.. wow. i just hope that the financial crisis will end soon! can't take this craziness anymore
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