Legal Needs Study
Updated July 1, 2009 - The 2007/2008 Georgia Legal Needs Study was presented to the public for the first time on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, at the Georgia Civil Legal Needs Summit. The event was held at the State Bar of Georgia headquarters in Atlanta, and was presented via webinar to the Tifton and Coastal Georgia satellite State Bar offices. Over 55 attendees, primarily from the Georgia legal community, received a copy of the report and a summary of the findings of the study. A panel discussion was also held regarding current access to justice initiatives taking place in Georgia. Former Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears delivered the opening and closing remarks, and Committee co-chairs Anne W. Lewis and Teri P. McClure served as moderators for the program.
In addition to the report, all attendees received a packet of materials. Download the materials packet here.
The Committee on Civil Justice will now take this conversation to the local level, with round table discussions planned around the state. The goal is to develop ideas on a local basis as to bridging the gap to access to justice. The ideas generated will be published in an addendum to the Final Report of the Legal Needs Study. The Chief Judge of each circuit will serve as host in each location, and information and announcements will be sent out as the dates approach. The locations and dates for these events are:
Agenda - Round Table Discussions
Albany - Friday, July 31, 2009 - Materials Packet
Gwinnett County - Friday, August 7, 2009 - Materials Packet
Brunswick - Friday, August 21, 2009 - Materials Packet
Ellijay - Friday, August 28, 2009 - Materials Packet
Carrollton - Friday, September 4, 2009 - Materials Packet
Columbus - Friday, September 11, 2009 - Materials Packet
Augusta - Friday, September 18, 2009 - Materials Packet
DeKalb County - Wednesday, September 23, 2009 - Materials Packet
Rome - Friday, September 25, 2009 - Materials Packet
Macon - Thursday, October 1, 2009 - Materials Packet
Jefferson - Friday, October 9, 2009 - Materials Packet
Savannah - Friday, October 16, 2009 - Materials Packet
Updated May 29, 2009 - The Report on the 2007/2008 Georgia Legal Needs Study was finished in May 2009. Click here to download the report . The report will be presented on June 24, 2009, at the Georgia Civil Legal Needs Summit at the State Bar of Georgia in Atlanta.The Committee on Civil Justice will then hold local events around the state to present the report and facilitate roundtable discussions.
The last legal needs study conducted in Georgia was done in conjunction with the American Bar Association in 1994. This assessment showed that in any given year, 40 percent of Georgias poverty population has at least one civil legal need.
Since then and with the exponential growth of Georgias population, it can only be assumed that the numbers have increased. Based on 2000 Census figures, it can be estimated that approximately 413,517 people had at least one civil legal need during that year. It is believed that over half of those with legal needs are women, many of whom head single household families. Because their poverty leaves them unable to pay for legal help, they must turn to civil legal aid services and advocacy programs. Yet the Legal Services Corporation, which funds the two primary legal services program in Georgia (Georgia Legal Services Program and Atlanta Legal Aid Society), does not have the funding and resources, or due to conflicts in representation and federal restrictions cannot represent all individuals with legal problems. In addition, the vast majority of Georgias attorneys reside in the five-county, metropolitan Atlanta area, leaving roughly only one third of the states active lawyers to serve the remaining 154 counties, often in uneven distribution.
Based on these statistics, the Committee on Civil Justice determined that an updated legal needs study is necessary to accurately assess the needs of the low-income population and the current state of Georgias civil legal delivery system. In recent years, many states have conducted studies of their own, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Georgias study was initiated in November 2007.
After a bidding process, the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research at Kennesaw State University (KSU) was selected to conduct the assessments. Specific goals of the Legal Needs Survey were to be:
- Identify and quantify met and unmet needs for civil legal services;
- Obtain data to help guide policy and advocacy efforts to increase financial, human and in-kind resources for civil legal aid; and
- Obtain data to help guide policy decisions regarding the wise and efficient use of all available resources.
The study, initiated in November 2007, was comprised of four components: telephone surveys, electronic surveys, focus groups, and personal interviews.
1. Telephone surveys
a. Low-income population: Random Digit Dialing (RDD) telephone surveys were conducted from a highly representative sample of households in Georgia with incomes that do not exceed 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (Quota of 1050)
b.Moderate-income population: RDD surveys were conducted from a highly representative sample of households with incomes of at least 150% but not exceeding 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (Quota is 550).
c. Attorney survey: A telephone survey regarding pro bono services was conducted with 300 attorneys from around the state. This sample was divided into two groups: those that do engage in pro bono, and those that do not. The State Bar of Georgia provided a list of names and a sample will be extracted from the list for survey. (Quota: 200 No Pro Bono, 100 Pro Bono)
2. Electronic Survey of Providers
An electronic survey of legal aid providers and court personnel were included in the assessment. The target population for this component was those that work for legal aid organizations, non-profit and social service organizations, faith based groups, and the states judicial system. Two separate sets of questions were provided, as the nature of work does differ between the public sector and the social service/non-profit sectors. There were four methods by which to complete the survey: direct internet link; printing and mailing; faxing; or, calling a toll-free number. Participation was requested by e-mail and paper mailing, and lists of names were provided to KSU by the Committee.
3. Focus Groups
Eight focus groups were held around Georgia, and four each were conducted for providers and for hard-to-reach client populations. Those providers that attended the discussions were asked to participate in the electronic survey. The groups met for no longer than two hours.
4. Personal Interviews
Two sets of interviews were conducted. The first were informal interviews of persons selected from their participation in the public telephone survey. Thirty interviews were scheduled. The second set of personal interviews were with those considered hard to reach persons or those with special needs, including elderly, non-English speaking, formerly incarcerated, homeless, and deaf persons.
After the comprehensive assessment and data collection, the Burruss Institute of Kennesaw State University is in the process of preparing a written report detailing the findings and will collaborate with the Committee on presentations to various audiences. The report will be distributed to the state legislature, judicial branch, State Bar, legal aid providers and other state-wide organizations and government entities to promote pro bono participation and increased funding and resources for improving Georgias civil justice system. The legal needs assessment will be a priceless tool in the Committees mission to develop, design, recommend, and coordinate policy initiatives, resources, and programs, in order to ensure equal justice for all.