ABA acts on civil right to counsel

August 11, 2010 by Jeff Brown

The ABA House of Delegates voted on Tuesday to adopt two key documents supporting a limited statutory civil right to counsel for the poor in cases where basic human needs are at stake. One of the resolutions was a set of principles that could serve as a guide as states approach this issue. The second was a Model Act intended to serve as a framework for states in drafting actual legislation to implement a limited civil right to counsel. This important issue has been a subject of discussion at the two most recent Commission meetings and these new resources will help the Commission as it develops its plans for the future. Pilot programs involving a limited civil right to counsel are underway in California, Massachusetts and Texas. The program in California was created by statute and is publicly funded.

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Access to justice requires a steady commitment of time, money, and effort. Members of the commission are all volunteers and donate a considerable amount of their time every month. Everything else we do to support and expand access for Wisconsin residents has some cost. We need your support in the manner that best fits your resources, your time, and your experience.

Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission

We are a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) Wisconsin corporation governed by an 18 member board. Board members are appointed by our stakeholders: the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Governor, the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Legislature, Marquette University Law School, the University of Wisconsin Law School, the Wisconsin Tribal Judges Association, and the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation.

The Commission was created by an order of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by the State Bar of Wisconsin. We are a proud member of the Civil Legal Aid Alliance of Wisconsin (CLAAW).