Justice Blogs

A Call to Action: Global Momentum on Access to Justice Drives Progress in the United States

Jesse Bernstein, Senior Advisor, Office for Access to Justice — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Advancing Equal Access to Justice for Americans with Disabilities: Moving Towards Closing the Justice Gap on the 33rd Anniversary of the ADA

Qudsiya Naqui — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Justice belongs to everyone, including those with disabilities. Legal systems must be designed with the needs and perspectives of people with disabilities in mind, or the promise of equal justice under law rings hollow. On this 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Office for Access to Justice reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that justice systems continue to work for people with disabilities, no matter the legal problem they face.

Get to Know the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable

Allie Yang-Green, Executive Director, Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

DOJ makes key excerpts of Strategic Plan available in 5 languages

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Today the Department is now releasing key excerpts of the strategic plan in Spanish and key exceprts in the other top languages spoken by the LEP general public in the United States: Spanish, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Vietnamese, Korean, and Tagalog. The Department continues to prioritize actions to help ensure language access is not a barrier to LEP individuals participation in Department priorities including access to a plan that guides our efforts across the Department as we continue to fulfill our responsibilities to the American people.

White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Hosts Last Meeting of 2016

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 12:00:00 +0000

The United States Supports Launch of First Global Network of Indigent Defense Providers

Maha Jweied, Deputy Director, Office for Access to Justice — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 12:00:00 +0000

WH-LAIR Designated Co-Chairs Announce First Annual Report to the President

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 +0000

The White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable and Goal 16 - One Year On

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Lawyers & Libraries: A Natural Fit

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Courtesy of Helam Gebremariam, Counsel, Office for Access to Justice

One year ago this week, civil unrest broke in Baltimore following the tragic death of Freddie Gray. In the midst of these events, Baltimore Library Manger Melanie Towsend Diggs made a critically important decision – to keep the Enoch Pratt Free Library open. In the subsequent days, the library, located in downtown Baltimore – at the very intersection where community members, police and media converged – became a safe space for the community’s organizing, dialogue and healing. Ms. Diggs’ decision highlighted the vital role that civic institutions, including libraries, play in communities, particularly in times of crisis.

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Domestic Policy Council Director Cecilia Muñoz Convene Inaugural White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 12:00:00 +0000

This week, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Domestic Policy Council (DPC) Director Cecilia Muñoz co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable (WH-LAIR). Civil legal aid is free legal assistance to low- and moderate-income people who have civil legal problems. These problems are non-criminal; rather, civil legal aid helps people access basic necessities such as health care, housing, government benefits, employment and educational services. The WH-LAIR is comprised of 21 federal agencies and works across the various agencies and offices to improve federal programs by increasing meaningful access to justice. The roundtable met at the Department of Justice for the first time this week to set an agenda for the next two years, and to discuss how legal aid can enhance agency program objectives, improve outcomes and expand opportunities for the people most in need.

Poverty Is Not A Crime

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 12:00:00 +0000

There is no principle underlying our criminal justice system more essential than that we must treat equally the wealthy and the poor. As former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy said in 1962, “If justice is priced in the market place, individual liberty will be curtailed and respect for law diminished.”

The Inaugural Meeting of the Right to Counsel National Consortium

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 12:00:00 +0000

This week, the department hosted the first meeting of the Right to Counsel National Consortium, a diverse group of justice system stakeholders, from prosecutors to defense counsel to judges to advocates to public officials, brought together to address the many urgent priorities facing public defenders and the Sixth Amendment’s promise of a right to counsel.

United States Announces 45 New Open Government Initiatives

Wed, 28 Oct 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Newest version of the U.S. Open Government National Action Plan, announced at the Open Government Partnership’s 2015 Summit, contains multiple new initiatives that the Justice Department will undertake over the next two years.

Establishing the White House Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Civil Legal Aid Research

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

On May 20th, I was pleased to participate in the Justice Department’s Civil Legal Aid Research Workshop, sponsored by the National Institute of Justice, Access to Justice, and the National Science Foundation. At this gathering, passionate advocates and dedicated legal professionals worked to identify the data, methods, and research that can inform our efforts to help low-income Americans acquire the legal aid they need and deserve. Drawn from a range of agencies and backgrounds—including both national and international experts, and federal participants from 25 offices—contributors discussed best practices, successful efforts, and new ideas to benefit the men, women, and children we strive to serve.

Civil Legal Aid Research

Wed, 20 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Helping Civil Legal Aid Attorneys Identify and Respond to Elder Abuse

Tue, 17 Jun 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Secretary Duncan and Attorney General Holder Announce New Efforts to Address the Needs of Confined Youth

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Reframing Public Defense: Upcoming Webinar about Federal Funding Opportunities

Tue, 20 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable Toolkit Launches at White House Forum on Increasing Access to Justice

Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:00:00 +0000