Access to Justice Commission Holds Public Hearings on Challenges Facing
Low-income Residents
July 16, 2012 – The Wisconsin
Access to Justice Commission is gathering public input on the
challenges facing low-income Wisconsin residents statewide and how
residents respond when they need legal help with critical civil legal
problems. “This will be the first major effort to gather statewide
information about unmet civil legal needs in Wisconsin since the State
Bar’s 2007 Bridging the Justice Gap
report,” says Jeff Brown, staff coordinator for the
commission.
The commission has organized a series of regional public hearings
around the state to collect this additional information and to support
efforts designed to close the justice gap. The first hearings will be
held in Green
Bay on July 24 and Eau
Claire on July 31. Additional hearings are planned for
Milwaukee (Sept. 13), Madison (Sept. 18), Wausau (Oct. 2) and La Crosse
(Oct. 16).
Attorneys, judges, and the public are all invited to attend and share
their experiences, suggestions and insights. Written comments may also
be sent to the commission by email
or regular mail at P.O. Box 7158, Madison, WI 53707-7158.
The commission wants to know:
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Who is finding legal help?
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Who is falling through the cracks?
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What impact has finding, or not finding, legal help made in your life
or the lives of the people you serve?
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What is Wisconsin doing well for low-income or vulnerable residents
who need help with civil legal issues?
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What more should we all be doing?
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How are you helping to meet the civil legal needs of those who cannot
help themselves?
The Access to Justice Commission’s develops and encourages means
of expanding access to the civil justice system for unrepresented
low-income Wisconsin residents. It was created in 2009 by the Wisconsin
Supreme Court at the request of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Visit the
Commission’s website for more
information and updates.
