State and area officials from the legal community met Friday in Columbia County to discuss ways to ensure that the area's lower income residents have access to civil legal assistance.
The round-table discussion was organized by Augusta Judicial Circuit Superior Court Chief Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet and Superior Court Judge Sheryl Jolly to identify the civil law needs of the low- and moderate-income residents of the circuit, which includes Richmond, Columbia and Burke counties. Participants also talked about the obstacles keeping some Georgians from legal assistance.
"The dialogue is what it takes to make things happen," Judge Overstreet said.
The three counties have a mix of socioeconomic levels, according to a recent survey commissioned by the state Supreme Court's Equal Justice Commission Committee. Burke County is considered rural, with a 28.4 percent poverty rate in 2007. Columbia County has a 5.1 percent poverty rate, while 24.6 percent of the population of Richmond County, the state's second largest metropolitan area, live below the poverty level. The state has a 14.3 percent poverty rate.
Among the 1,543 households participating in the survey, each had an average of about three civil legal needs in 2007.
The most prevalent needs include consumer issues such as abusive collections or contract terms; housing including evictions, home repairs and utility issues; and family issues.
Nearly 75 percent of residents with legal needs attempted to resolve their problems without legal help, the study said. The study showed that many low-to-moderate-income residents were not aware of the resources available to meet their legal needs. Others did not know legal help could resolve their problems.
Suggestions included outreach and encouraging attorneys to take on more pro bono clients.
Similar meetings are being held in 13 districts statewide. Once the information is compiled, it will be shared with other communities so they can learn from each other, said Kevin Baldwin of Applied Research Services Inc., which is leading the discussions.
Dr. Baldwin said he hopes the discussions will lead to communities implementing some of the suggestions while waiting for changes to be made statewide.
Reach Valerie Rowell at (706) 868-1222, ext. 110 or valerie.rowell@augustachronicle.
Comments
Does Dr. Baldwin's contract include provisions for his return in 3-5 years to evaluate how many of the suggestions which were made at yesterday's round-table discussion will have been implemented and to evaluate the efficacy of their respective implementations?
Probably not. He's a consultant...
Cannot wait to read all of the Naysayers posts. Only the most uncaring of us all, can possible have a problem with this.
Looks like a job for "SUPER ACORN". A non-profit super hero to the downtrodden masses. Pick up that ho and go.
KEN NUGGENT to the rescue. "Suggestions included outreach and encouraging attorneys to take on more pro bono clients". Is this the same a tort reform?
An average of three legal needs per year. Would any or all of the three be incarceration?
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
