In most of Voices’ work, we are seeking to interject the importance of civil legal aid into coverage about various social and economic issues. Sometimes, however, we have an opportunity to go directly at our main issue - the crisis in the civil justice system. That is exactly what happened with the recent release of the Justice Index 2016 by the National Center for Access to Justice.
There’s coverage and then there’s coverage.
In most of Voices’ work, we are seeking to interject the importance of civil legal aid into coverage about various social and economic issues. We bring attention to the value of providing legal support to Americans and make an effort to frame the underlying problems as legal ones. For example, the eviction crisis is in part due to rubber-stamp justice and an imbalance in legal power between landlords and renters. Debt collectors can trample on the rights of consumers by securing default judgments in civil courts.
Sometimes, however, we get a welcome opportunity to go directly at our main issue, the crisis in the civil justice system. Too many are denied their legal rights, and we are always looking for opportunities to place civil justice front and center in the debate.
That is exactly what happened with the recent release of the Justice Index 2016 by the National Center for Access to Justice. The launch was covered by online media with broad audiences, including Quartz, The Nation, Salon, ThinkProgress, and The Intercept. It also found its way into multiple legal outlets and more.
Mainstream coverage like this shifts the main focus from funding cutbacks to how the resource shortfall hurts Americans and impedes our promise to establish justice for all. It was made possible by strong preparation by NCAJ and by looping Voices into the process early.
With the upcoming Justice for All Project, sparked by the Conference of Chief Justices’ resolution and Public Welfare Foundation funding, current attention to the criminal justice system, and rising awareness on the civil side, we are excited about what the next opportunity will be to put civil justice front and center.
Organizations mentioned/involved: Justice Index, National Center for Access to Justice (NCAJ) at Fordham Law School