To: The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
Don't let Trump put justice out of reach: Protect Legal Aid
America promises equal justice under the law. Legal aid programs are needed to make that promise a reality for the millions of Americans who can’t afford lawyers.
Why is this important?
To ensure that all Americans have equal protection under the law, in 1974 Congress created a legal aid program to ensure that all Americans have access to civil legal assistance when they need it. Nearly one in five Americans – 61.8 million people – are eligible for legal aid when they need legal help.
But the Trump Budget takes aim at legal aid, by eliminating funding for a program that provides legal services to 1.9 million people each year. The Legal Services Corporation funds lawyers who represent homeowners facing illegal foreclosures, help secure housing for veterans, protect seniors from scams, stop illegal harassment by debt collectors, deliver legal services to rural areas, protect victims of domestic abuse, and help disaster survivors.
We can’t let Trump deny justice to Americans who can’t afford legal assistance. Tell Trump and Congress: don’t deny justice for all. Fund legal aid.
Letter of Support from Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators, Legal Services Corporation: America's Partner for Equal Justice, 02/28/2017, http://www.lsc.gov/media-center/blog/2017/02/28/letter-suport-conference-chief-justices-and-conference-state-court
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/trump_budget_eliminates_funding_for_legal_services_corp