The impact of the attempted Federal Funding freeze on Civil Legal Aid and Public Defense Institutions

NLADA’s community of advocates—including civil legal aid, public defense, and representatives of low-income and marginalized communities—work daily to uphold the government’s commitment to safety and stability. This community both receives federal funding to provide services and in turn provides services to help clients access vital federally-funded supports.At the heart of NLADA’s mission are individuals directly impacted by government policies who can not afford legal services. Civil legal aid and public defense stand in the gap providing those critical legal services and have been historically underfunded. And this is despite a glaring need for their services. The Bureau of Justice Statistics in the U.S. Department of Justice states that approximately 66% of felony federal defendants and 82% of felony defendants in large state courts were represented by public defenders or assigned counsel. According to the Legal Services Corporation, which administers federal funding to nonprofit legal aid organizations across the country, around 92% of low-income Americans are forced to address civil issues without proper legal assistance. Federal funding cuts will decimate an already fragile system and impact people’s ability to access legal representation and secure essential resources.Federal funding is essential to fulfilling the government’s obligation to ensure safety and stability for people...