If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you... unless you’re at risk of losing your children, your home, your health care, disability or veterans’ benefits, or many other legal protections. Americans are guaranteed representation in criminal matters but there is no comparable protection in the civil or administrative law arena, no matter what’s at stake. A new report finds that 86% of the civil legal problems reported by low-income Americans in the past year received inadequate or no legal help.
In our final installment of Courting Justice Ohio, we examine what happens when so many people are left to fend for themselves, and how to ensure that everyone has fair access to the legal system.
This event will feature a keynote address from James J. Sandman, Esq., President of the Legal Services Corporation and a discussion including the following panelists:
Colleen Cotter, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
Anthony Richardson, Program Officer at Nord Family Foundation
Judge Joan Synenberg, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
Courting Justice Ohio is a year-long initiative to engage criminal justice stakeholders and residents on the reforms needed to address the disproportionate impact of fines, fees and bail on the poor. The initiative is led by ideastream in partnership with The City Club of Cleveland and with support from the Cleveland Foundation.