In Arkansas’ 25 most rural counties there is an average of fewer than one practicing attorney per 1000 residents.
In the U.S. legal representation continues to remain expensive for most. This lack of affordability limits an individual’s access to justice, and contributes to what some refer to as the justice gap. A recent study shows that approximately 80 percent of low-income individuals cannot afford legal assistance. The middle classstruggles, too: a study shows that “forty to sixty percent of their legal needs go unmet.
Read about Access to Justice in Rural Arkansas by Lisa R. Pruitt, J. Cliff McKinney II, Juliana Fehrenbacher & Amy Dunn Johnson, March 2015
Read about the Justice Gap!
Arkansas Poverty Rate
The need for affordable and quality legal services has never been greater. As Arkansas’s poverty population grows, so does the need for representation of its interests. About 19% of Arkansas citizens live at or below the poverty level, compared to 12.4% nationwide. Arkansas is ranked 46th with people whose incomes fall below the poverty line ($23,834 for a family of four in 2014).
Federal funding for legal-service programs is decreasing, while the State of Arkansas provides minimal appropriation for civil legal services. Combined with the sizable, growing population of vulnerable residents, this lack of resources creates a perfect storm of injustice. Private attorneys can help address these problems by partnering with Community Legal Access (CLA).
Community Legal Access
1501 N. University Ave. Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72207
Phone: 501-478-9344 (call or text)
Email: Director@Communitylegalaccess.org
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Hours:
Monday – Friday 9am- 5pm