Preserving Access to Justice

Preserving Access to Justice

Join the MBA in advocating for adequate court and legal services funding.


Share your story

The Massachusetts Bar Association has created a task force to put a human face on the impact that drastic budget cuts are having in the courts. Click here to share anecdotal stories from clients about understaffed courts or unreasonable delays with the Crisis in Court Funding Task Force.

------------------------------------------------------------------

MBA outreach

  • Click here to view MBA President Valerie A. Yarashus' letter to Gov. Deval Patrick regarding the Massachusetts Court System budget.
  • Click here to view Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall's 2009 annual address to the legal community on the Trial Court budget crisis and its impact on the public.
  • Click here for an overview of the Massachusetts Trial Court: Funding and Staffing budget.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Lobbying event

Walk to the Hill, Jan. 27

On Wednesday, Jan. 27, the MBA will once again co-sponsor a Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid to advocate for increased funding for civil legal services throughout the commonwealth. The 11th annual Walk to the Hill takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Great Hall at the Statehouse. Walk to the Hill is one of the largest lobbying events at the Statehouse, and last year drew a crowd of more than 750 ― the highest turnout in the event's history.

The past year's economic troubles have taken a toll on civil legal aid in Massachusetts. Income from the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program has plummeted 63 percent since fiscal year 2008 and is not expected to increase in fiscal year 2010. Compounding this loss is the decrease in the civil legal aid line item ― from $11 million in fiscal year 2009 to $9.5 million in fiscal year 2010.

For more information, click here. To view a funding fact sheet, click here.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Contact your legislators

Contact key legislators about the Trial Court budget crisis. Click here to contact your representative. Click here to contact your senator. Click here to find out who your legislators are.


©2010 Massachusetts Bar Association
Powered by Aptify & Umbraco CMS