Texas Law School Deans Join Support for Federal Legal Services Funding

© 2017 The Texas Lawbook.

By Mark Curriden

(March 27) – Six deans from Texas law schools have signed a letter to leaders of Congress asking that they “maintain funding for the Legal Services Corporation” during the upcoming federal budgeting process.

The six law deans – Jennifer Collins of the SMU Dedman School of Law, Leonard M. Baynes of the University of Houston Law Center, Stephen M. Sheppard of St. Mary’s University School of Law, Andrew Morriss of Texas A&M School of Law, Donald J. Guter of South Texas College of Law Houston and Ward Farnsworth of the University of Texas School of Law – asked that the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate reject the budget proposal from President Trump to eliminate all federal funding for legal aid efforts.

“The LSC has long received bipartisan support, and we hope that you will continue to work together to ensure that the LSC has the funding it needs to perform its critical function,” the letter states. “Our personal views span the political spectrum. What brings us together today is a shared conviction that the loss of LSC funds would devastate efforts to provide access to essential legal services in our communities.”

LSC received $487 million in federal funding in 2016 and seeks $502 million in this year’s federal budget.

The law deans of neighboring law schools – including Valerie K. Couch at the Oklahoma City University School of Law, Thomas C. Galligan Jr. of Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Michael J. Kaufman of Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Rev. Lawrence W. Moore at the S.J. Loyola University New Orleans College of Law – also signed the letter.

The law deans point out that LSC funds providers, including Texas Access to Justice, serve millions of low-income Americans who could not otherwise afford legal representation.

“These providers help people who live in households with annual incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, a category that includes almost one in five Americans,” the letter states. “The cases involve some of the most difficult, life-changing circumstances a person can face.

“The most common LSC-funded matters include advocating for the needs of military families, protecting domestic violence victims, representing parties in guardianship proceedings, preventing foreclosures and guarding the elderly against unscrupulous lenders,” the deans state in the letter.

The letter to congressional leaders states that LSC funding helped about two million people in 2015. Even so, recent studies estimate that 80 percent of the civil legal needs of the eligible population are still not being met. From 2007 to 2016, funding per eligible person decreased from $7.54 to $5.85.

“Research shows that civil legal aid is a wise public investment and actually saves taxpayer dollars,” the letter states. “For example, by helping end cycles of domestic violence, making it possible for children to leave foster care more quickly, and reducing unnecessary evictions and unjust foreclosures, LSC funds reduce the need for public spending in other areas.”

The deans conclude their letter by quoting the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The LSC “pursues the most fundamental of American ideals,” for “without access to quality representation there is no justice,” Justice Scalia stated.

© 2017 The Texas Lawbook. Content of The Texas Lawbook is controlled and protected by specific licensing agreements with our subscribers and under federal copyright laws. Any distribution of this content without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.

If you see any inaccuracy in any article in The Texas Lawbook, please contact us. Our goal is content that is 100% true and accurate. Thank you.