Access to Justice

February 03, 2023
House Task Force Aims To Help Ex-Cons Thrive After Prison

More than two dozen members of Congress have banded together to create a new bipartisan task force focused on aiding former inmates' reentry into society.
February 03, 2023
Md. Court Watchers Push For Permanent Remote Access

Singer-songwriter Fiona Apple added another skill to her repertoire during the pandemic by becoming a citizen court-watcher, remotely observing hearings in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, and now she is part of a coalition advocating for a bill that would make it easier for the public to access court proceedings.
February 03, 2023
Gibson Dunn Aids Venezuelan Asylum-Seekers Bused To NYC

When Texas, Florida and Arizona authorities began busing tens of thousands of migrants from the Southern border to Northern cities last year, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP attorneys stepped up to provide legal aid to hundreds of Venezuelan families applying for asylum in the U.S.
February 03, 2023
Calif. Federal Judge Orders Release Of Medical Pot Operator

A man convicted of running a California medical marijuana operation and sentenced to over two decades in federal prison is expected to walk free on Friday after a federal judge granted a motion to reduce his sentence.
February 02, 2023
Gov't Denies It's 'Not Playing Ball' On Remote Hearings

The federal government has rebuffed a claim by the American Immigration Lawyers Association that it is "not playing ball in a serious way" to provide a remote option for immigration hearings, saying the group was the uncooperative party.
February 02, 2023
DC Court Orders Better Legal Access At Ariz. ICE Center

A Washington, D.C., federal court ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to improve access to counsel at an Arizona detention facility, saying the facility appears to have completely blocked attorneys' access to detainees.
January 30, 2023
Mass. Launches Abortion Hotline Staffed By BigLaw, ACLU

A group of 150 attorneys from some of the largest Massachusetts law firms and the ACLU will provide free legal advice about abortion access to patients and health care providers through a new confidential hotline, state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell said Monday.
January 20, 2023
Panel Urges Legal Reformers To Include Community Groups

Lawyers and judges need to include consumers and community-based organizations in their design- and decision-making process for implementing legal regulatory reform, according to a panel at the Legal Services Corp.'s Innovations in Technology Conference on Friday.
January 20, 2023
Latham, Davis Polk Help Free Domestic Violence Survivor

Jacqueline Smalls had two active orders of protection against her physically abusive boyfriend when she said he entered her Schenectady, New York, home in 2012. Fearing for her life, she fatally stabbed him.
January 20, 2023
Crowell & Moring Takes Murder Conviction Fight To Justices

Following a recent setback before a federal appeals court in their nearly 15-year fight to clear a Florida man of murder charges, a team of Crowell & Moring LLP attorneys is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to side with claims that prosecutors withheld key evidence in their client's case.
January 20, 2023
Panel Urges Landlord, Court Collaboration To Divert Evictions

The success of any court-based program aimed at slowing down or preventing evictions depends on strategic communication with landlords and courts, in addition to tenants, according to a recent panel on eviction diversion programs across the country.
January 20, 2023
Could This Case Help Upend The Death Penalty In Oklahoma?

Convicted murderer Richard Glossip is set to be executed in Oklahoma next month, but doubts about his guilt and allegations of police incompetence and prosecutorial misconduct are leading some in the state to reconsider not just his case but the death penalty itself.
January 19, 2023
Remote Proceedings Can Improve Justice In Rural Areas

Courts should embrace remote proceedings to improve access to justice in rural communities because participants don't have to drive hours to a courthouse, take time off work or arrange child care, according to a virtual panel hosted by the National Center for State Courts.
January 06, 2023
Top Priorities For Pro Bono Leaders In 2023

Leaders of pro bono practices look ahead to how they plan to prioritize resources and initiatives in 2023.
January 06, 2023
Rochester Can't Escape Suit Over Police Killing, Judge Rules

The city of Rochester, New York, can't dismiss a lawsuit filed by the family of a young Black man who was shot and killed by Rochester police while experiencing a mental health crisis, a federal judge has ordered.
January 06, 2023
The Biggest Access To Justice Issues In 2023

This year could see a spike in evictions and further setbacks at the U.S. Supreme Court for those looking to further equality, but potential changes to legal industry regulations and continued criminal justice reform efforts still offer hope.
January 06, 2023
Susman Godfrey Attys Help Defend Calif. Housing Laws

A team of attorneys from Susman Godfrey LLP has been defending pandemic-related housing laws across California against a legal assault from landlord groups, securing the first appellate decision in the country affirming the constitutionality of the anti-eviction ordinances amid a public health emergency.
January 05, 2023
Navajo Nation Sues Again After Feds Slash Judicial Funding

The Navajo Nation on Thursday filed another federal breach of contract case against the U.S. Department of the Interior over funding for its judicial branch, the latest lawsuit in an ongoing battle against the agency over tens of millions of dollars the tribe says it has been shortchanged.
January 03, 2023
Louisiana Has A Brady Crisis. Can The Supreme Court Fix It?

Louisiana has long given the U.S. Supreme Court reason to reinforce prosecutors’ obligation to disclose evidence favorable to defendants, a requirement that attorneys nationally say merits another forceful reminder after an inmate did not receive a key jailhouse confession until he was already on death row.
December 16, 2022
Cardozo Fights To Free NY Man Imprisoned For '96 Drug Bust

In 1997, a Long Island judge saw a drug "kingpin" in Joaquin Winfield. But a group of current and former law students and professors doesn't see it that way, and they hope New York Gov. Kathy Hochul won't either.
December 16, 2022
Greenberg Traurig Guides Afghan Women To Safety In Mexico

Elba B. Gutiérrez and other Greenberg Traurig attorneys have been helping members of the Afghan women's flag football team secure political asylum in Mexico and discover new opportunities there.
December 16, 2022
The Cases That Most Affected Access To Justice In 2022

Courts saw a number of cases in 2022 that could have potential consequences for access to justice, including suits over public defender shortages, claims of ineffective counsel, the regulation of nonlawyers and abortion.
December 16, 2022
Data Is Top Priority For Group Studying Vets In Justice System

A new commission established by the Council on Criminal Justice think tank is working to help change policies that may have led to a surprisingly high number of military veterans winding up behind bars, with getting better data on former service members a top priority for the group.
December 16, 2022
3rd Circ. Grapples With Solitary Confinement Of Mentally Ill

At the Third Circuit, a late prisoner's lawsuit has placed a spotlight on Eighth Amendment concerns with placing mentally ill prisoners in solitary confinement.
December 16, 2022
Senate Confirms DC Court Judges Amid 'Vacancy Crisis'

The U.S. Senate has confirmed seven D.C. judicial nominees for seats on the district's trial and appellate courts that have been vacant for an average of almost two years, acting on long-pending nominations amid a recent surge of pressure applied by court watchdogs and lawmakers alike.

Expert Analysis

How BigLaw Pro Bono Pros Can Promote Access To Justice

Allegra Nethery, president of the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, discusses opportunities for large law firms to make a difference.
The Pro Bono Policies Worth Adopting In Every State

A recent survey of attorneys across the country found that, despite broad opposition to mandatory pro bono, strong support exists for a number of statewide policies and initiatives to more effectively engage the private bar in pro bono work, says Latonia Haney Keith, associate dean of academics at Concordia University School of Law.
Using The Constitution To End Punishment Of The Poor

One hundred and fifty years after the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, lawyers are achieving real victories on the ground with new constitutional theories striking at both inequality and unfair process, says Brandon Garrett of Duke University School of Law.