Legal Problems, Legal Needs: The Legal Assistance Gap Facing Lower Income People in New Jersey
Lower income people must deal with a broad array of laws and legal processes
that directly impact their daily lives, and for more than those with greater means,
often determine their very ability to survive. The Legal Problems, Legal Needs study
asks whether lower income New Jersey adults are obtaining the legal assistance they
need while facing civil legal problems. Results from the study’s survey of 1,013
lower income adults finds that they are not. The study documents the legal assistance
gap facing lower income people in New Jersey, outlines principal policy implications
and points to areas where further exploration is needed.
People Without Lawyers: The Continuing Justice Gap in New Jersey
The heart of the report is an extrapolation of data from the state Administrative
Office of the Courts as well as the Department of Human Services Division of Family
Development. We looked at several types of cases that typically involve a disproportionate
number of low-income people. The findings reveal very high levels of unrepresented
people.