With the support of the Oregon Department of Justice, the 2018 Civil Legal Needs Study was commissioned by the Oregon Law Foundation, Oregon State Bar, Oregon Judicial Department, Campaign for Equal Justice, Legal Aid Services of Oregon, and the Oregon Law Center to assess the current ability of low-income individuals to access the civil justice system. The researchers endeavored to gather reliable and useful data to help policy makers, legislators, agencies, funders, and legal aid service providers inform their investment and service decisions. Learn about the economic benefits of civil legal aid and immigration legal help in our Economic Impact Studies.
What Can I Do?
When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we close with “justice for all.” We need programs like civil legal aid to ensure that the very principle our country’s founders envisioned remains alive: justice for all, not just for the few who can afford it.
1
Educate
Talk about the importance of access to justice. Let people know that civil legal aid is there for those who need help. Share this report. The information in this report is not widely known, and it is hard to solve problems that no one is talking about. Let’s amplify the conversation.
2
Speak Up
Oregon has broad bipartisan support for legal aid on both the state and federal levels. As a community, let’s continue our sustained focus on a fair and accessible legal system–a system where our neighbors can know their rights and get the help they need.
3
Fund Legal Aid
Legal aid is a state, federal, and private partnership. Legal aid receives funding from the State of Oregon, the federal government (via the Legal Services Corporation), private foundations, Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (via the Oregon Law Foundation), and private donations (via the Campaign for Equal Justice). The single best way to increase access to justice is to create more legal aid attorney positions.
Documents
The Current Oregon Study
- Barriers to Justice – 2018 Oregon Civil Legal Needs Study Report (16 pages)
- 2018 Legal Aid Funding Infographic (2 pages)
- 2018 Oregon Civil Legal Needs Study Research Report (55 pages)
- 2018 Oregon Civil Legal Needs Study Phone Survey Instrument
- 2018 Oregon Civil Legal Needs Study Farmworker Research Report
The Previous Oregon Study
Other Civil Legal Needs Studies
- 2022 Legal Services Corporation Justice Gap Report
- 2017 Legal Services Corporation Justice Gap Report
- 2015 Washington State Civil Legal Need Study Update
- 2009 Legal Services Corporation Justice Gap Report
- 2005 Legal Services Corporation Justice Gap Report
Thanks
The 2018 Civil Legal Needs study was a collaborative effort of Oregon’s Access to Justice Coalition; however, as is often the case with team efforts, extra gratitude is due to a few organizations and individuals who played a vital role in making this study possible:
- Thanks to the Oregon Law Foundation for providing funding for the study.
- Thanks to Chief Justice Walters for providing an introduction to the Barriers to Justice summary.
- Thanks to Dr. Debi Elliott from the Portland State University Survey Research Lab for providing survey expertise and managing the survey process.
- Thanks to Dr. Aaron Roussell from the Portland State University Department of Sociology for providing analysis expertise and designing and conducting the Seasonal Farmworker Supplemental study.
- Thanks to Judith Baker from the Oregon Law Foundation for providing the vision that convinced everyone it was time for a new civil legal needs study.
- Thanks to Holly Puckett from the Campaign for Equal Justice for providing assistance with project management and knowledge that kept the study rooted in experiences connected to civil legal issues.
- Thanks to Bill Penn from the Oregon Law Foundation for providing management to the overall project and drafting the core of the Barriers to Justice summary.
- Thanks to Maya Crawford from the Campaign for Equal Justice for providing content to the Barriers to Justice summary and seeing that it was published.