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Onward: From Green Bay to Eau Claire

Community members and advocates from throughout the Green Bay and Fox Valley region gathered in Green Bay this week to share their experiences in responding to the overwhelming civil legal needs facing low-income area residents in the area. They were attending the first regional access to justice hearing convened by the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission. Our next hearing will be held in Eau Claire on July 31. Speakers described

Jeff Brown July 27, 2012

Green Bay access to justice hearing update

As we make our final preparations for today’s regional hearing in Green Bay, it’s worth noting this sobering news item from Wisconsin Public Radio: According to the Department of Children and Families, there were 32 percent more domestic violence advocacy contacts last year than in 2010. While the raw number of victims staying in domestic abuse shelters has been flat, those that use the shelters stayed 12 percent longer. Shannon

Jeff Brown July 24, 2012

Eau Claire access to justice hearing announced – July 31

You are invited to share your experiences or ideas at a public hearing in Eau Claire organized by the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission. This is your chance to tell us what you know about the challenges facing low income Wisconsin residents in your area when they need legal help with critical civil (not criminal) legal problems. We want to hear from you! When: July 31, 2012, starting at 4:00

Jeff Brown June 29, 2012

Green Bay access to justice hearing announced – July 24

You are invited to attend and share your experiences or ideas at a public hearing in Green Bay organized by the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission. This is your chance to share what you know about the challenges facing low income Wisconsin residents when they need legal help with critical civil (not criminal) legal problems. We want to hear from you! When: July 24, 2012, starting at 4:00 PM Where: Northeastern

Jeff Brown June 28, 2012

Access to Justice Commission releases its first video

Equal justice for all is something that we treasure and that every Wisconsin resident deserves. We hope that you find this short video helpful and inspiring. There is a role for everyone in the effort to make access to justice a higher priority at the local, state and national levels. Contact us to find out how you can help right here in Wisconsin. Update 5/21/12: We were pleased to be

Jeff Brown May 14, 2012

Spring meeting with the Wisconsin Supreme Court

hz536n/George Thomas /Free Photos On Monday, March 12, the Access to Justice Commission had the pleasure of meeting with the justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Commission holds a joint meeting with the court each Spring in conjunction with the Commision’s annual meeting in Madison. The discussion covered a range of access to justice issues and projects in Wisconsin and nationally. The following Commission projects were covered and the Commission is grateful

Jeff Brown March 12, 2012

Final order on civil right to counsel petition

donsutherland1 /Free Photos The Wisconsin Supreme Court has released its final order denying Petition 10-08. The justices voted last month to deny to petition. Petition supporters asked for a new rule that would have required circuit court judges to appoint counsel at public expense for indigent litigants in many civil cases where basic human needs were at stake. Citing uncertainty about the scope and cost of the proposal, the court declined to adopt

Jeff Brown February 27, 2012

Supreme Court denies “Civil Gideon” petition

Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court voted unanimously to deny Petition 10-08. The petitioners were requesting a new court rule that would have required circuit court judges to appoint attorneys at public expense for low income litigants in certain types of civil court cases: (2) Appearance by attorney. PROVIDED. Where a civil litigant is indigent (defined as below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines), the court shall provide counsel at public expense where the

Jeff Brown January 19, 2012

Wisconsin Supreme Court takes no action on civil right to counsel petition

The Wisconsin Supreme Court held an open administrative conference on Monday, October 17, to discuss how it should respond to Petition 10-08 following the all-day hearing on the petition was held on October 4. The petition seeks creation of a new court rule that would lead to the appointment of counsel in many more civil cases in Wisconsin. At the administrative conference there was not a majority of justices who supported moving

Jeff Brown October 17, 2011

Commission testifies in support of a civil right to counsel

At Tuesday’s hearing in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Access to Justice Commission reiterated its support for a new rule that would lead more Circuit Court judges to appoint attorneys for indigent Wisconsin residents in certain civil court cases. As Professor Marsha Mansfield noted on behalf of the Commission, this is an issue of fundamental fairness, because there are “people who really do need the help of a lawyer in order to successfully present their case: not win or lose but just to be a able to fully develop the facts or law necessary to have a full decision rendered.”

Jeff Brown October 6, 2011

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