Civic Register
| 2.1.18

DOJ Quietly Sidelines Office Focused On Legal Aid For The Poor

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What’s the story?

Though it has not officially announced a closure of the program, the New York Times reports the Department of Justice (DOJ) has functionally shuttered the Office of Access to Justice. The offices are dark, the director has left to the private sector without a replacement, and staff have dwindled.

The Office of Access to Justice was established in 2010. On its website the challenge the Office was established to address is defined:

"Millions of people in the United States cannot get legal help that is often critical to their well-being and freedom. Fifty million Americans qualify for federally funded civil legal aid, yet more than half of those who seek help are turned away due to lack of resources. In the criminal justice system, public defenders handle caseloads that far exceed recommended limits, jeopardizing their ability to provide representation that meets even constitutionally minimum standards."

In order to address this challenge the Office focused on three tasks:

  • Advance new statutory, policy, and practice changes that support development of quality indigent defense and civil legal aid delivery systems at the state and federal level;

  • Promote less lawyer-intensive and court-intensive solutions to legal problems; and

  • Expand research on innovative strategies to close the gap between the need for, and the availability of, quality legal assistance.

Since closure of the Office has not been made official, which would involve notification to Congress, there has been no statement as to whether the goals of the Office have been met or are being addressed via some other avenue.

The DOJ did not respond to repeated requests by the Times for comment.

What do you think?

Do we still need the Office of Access to Justice? Should Congress instruct the DOJ to recommit resources to the effort? Do you have other ideas of how the federal government could address this societal challenge? Is that not the federal government’s job?

Tell us in the comments what you think, then use the Take Action button to tell your reps!

— Asha Sanaker

(Photo Credit: Department of Justice / Creative Commons )