State Funding Initiative
 Idaho Legal Aid Services is requesting Idaho state funding
to provide court access for low income persons through a ten dollar civil filing fee surcharge
and/or a direct appropriation. Already forty-four states (including all of our
sister states but Wyoming) provide financial support to their legal services providers through a
combination of direct appropriations, fines, or filing fees. Unfortunately, Idaho does not. We feel
obligated to pursue state funding because we are currently unable to meet roughly 80% of the legal
needs of Idaho's poor. Those we turn away frequently need help for problems like leaving a violent
relationship, obtaining a guardianship for a child with drug addicted parents, helping a senior
obtain nursing home care, or advice on controlling runaway medical costs after a major illness.
We have included materials below that show what other states are doing in this regard and that demonstrate
the importance of this effort. To be successful we need the support of all those in Idaho who value
our people's ability to access the courts created to serve them.
If you have questions, feel free to contact Idaho Legal Aid Services Executive Director,
Ernesto Sanchez (208) 336.8980 ext. 105,
or Deputy Director Jim Cook (208) 336.8980 ext. 109.
Related Information & Materials
 Opens to an external webpage.
Resolution from the United States Conference of Chief Justices supporting an increase in public
funding for legal services providers.
Successful effort by Chief
Justice of Montana Supreme Court in obtaining state funding for Montana Legal Services.
 Opens as a pdf document.
2006 American Bar Association Resolution supporting public funding of civil
legal representation for the poor as a matter of right where basic human needs at stake.
2005 Increases in state funding for legal services providers in other
states.
2006 Breakdown of state funding for legal services providers by state.
2005 Article by American Bar Association President Michael Greco on need for
public funding for legal services for the poor.
Equal justice under the law is not just a caption on
the façade of the Supreme Court building. It is perhaps the most inspiring ideal of our
society... It is fundamental that justice should be the same, in substance and availability, without
regard to economic status.
~Justice Lewis Powell
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