RES 679 Draft 01 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • IieF Findings of the Deeds Assessment • C~xil~~ ] ux 5 loFC• and moderate-income Haxvai`i residents have their legal needs. met. • Legal seniee pra~=iders are able to help anlg ] in 3 of those xaho contact. diem for assistance. • The ax•eas xvith the greatest unmet civil legal needs are housing (~4°a}, faniilvv ('_3°'c}, domestic violence i$°'o1= and coxxsumer {',°®j. • Significant bai3iers to obtaixutig legal assistance ui addition to ixiabflit• to afford an attanxev include laxi~u3ge and cultural barriers, lack of kxio~vledge of one's legal rights, lack of 1:iaolvledae of available Legal services, and difficulty in accessing legal services programs.. • Tliere is one legal service attoxne~= fox• ex=exy 3,?9] persons liv~xig bela~r 1?3°'e of the federal pat•ex°t}= ~xideline. + There is one legal sex~-ice attorney for every 4,~)? persons li.~ng below- ?tlt7°-o of the federal poverh= ~iidehne. • There is one private attonre3• for et=ei~- 36 ] persons in dze general paptxlatiaxa. Cammutiiti ~#ide Action Plan: Ten Steps in Increase Access to Justice in Ha~vai`i b~- 2~I0 { 1 ~ Create an Access to Justice Commission. The Hawaii aupreme Court slaauld ct•eate an Access to Justice Connnission ~s-ith members from the jaidiciarv, organized bar, legal service providers, and others. The Coxnnrission svauld oversee and coordinate state~,~~de efforts to expand access to jusuce far la~v-income people, increase fundin,~ far legal sera-ice providers and pro Bono canu•ibutiaxxs b~ atto•na~-s, and uici•ease public awareness. (~} Inc:rease Funding to Support the Deli~•er?* of Legal. Services to Ensure Access to Justice. Legal service prop=ides arguizatians ai•e tlxe cornerstone of access to justice. Tle current: level of funding from all sources allaxs-s these providers to serve less than .3°~a of law-income residents tvitli critical le~*al prablexns. Additional fiuidiiig should be sought frain the Ham=ai`i Lee~,'slattu•e, the fedex°al goz=ex~ment acrd through. atliea- nieans, including adoption of a "conxpai•abiliri" recluix•enaentfar interest paid axe latc-±=ex•s' client ti-iist accauiits axid iiici•easisig flee court filing fee sux•charge for ilie Indinent Legal Assistance Futxd. f31 Develop a Ctxlttire that tialues Providing Pro Bann Services. Attoriaevs who valtantarily provide free legal assistance to low and moderate-income residents play a ke1-role in helping to address the txiunet need for legal sei-xices. ?Measures should be taken that elegy=at3e pro Bono to a value revered throniJliaut f-Ialt•ai`i's legal coxmuxuutt~. For the msd~-, a family of foLU- was deemed to consist o£ tsvo adults„ vne school aae c':ild, and one pre-school child. Canxparable ixxonthly basic li•.-inks expenses an the neighbor islands mere found io be S+,S 56 can ~.auai, 5 ,29~ iu taiu Cauazh=, and ~54,~9? or_ Haxvai'i Lslaxsd. Exhibit "A"