Legal Services for the Indigent Citizens: A Basic Right

Every people in the country, rich or poor, all share the responsibility of abiding by the federal and state laws. As much as possible, the laws are unbiased to cover every citizen's rights to live honorably and responsibly.

However, instances like poverty could make individuals feel that they do not have as much rights and privileges as those who are quite well off. One of those rights is the right to obtain legal services. Many impoverished citizens, not only in Los Angeles County suffer from injuries and damages of property without acquiring proper legal services.

In order to reach out to those citizens who are underprivileged and inaccessible to services by professional lawyers, the United States Congress made way for setting up the Legal Services Corporation or LSC by passing the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974. This private and non-profit corporation endeavors to make available for low-income individuals an equal access or opportunity in the justice system.

This main objective is abetted by the provision of top quality legal services and assistance for those who are unable to afford sufficient and satisfactory legal counsel.

The LSC ensures that legal assistance concerning civil issues become accessible for low-income citizens. Free legal services, however, are not given by LSC to the indigent citizens directly. Rather, it has almost 200 local legal services programs all over the country that provides grants.

The LSC have imposed income guidelines. Those who qualify can avail of the legal assistance by the "local legal services programs."

These groups providing local legal services receive funds from private sources and the state and county/city governments.

LSC's Income Guidelines

The LSC was mandated to impose "maximum income levels" for qualifications in availing of the free legal services. This maximum income level corresponds to the 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, as released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Since February 2007, the maximum income level for a family with four members in the United States continental area is $25, 813. In Hawaii and Alaska, this figure is a bit higher.

LSC's Clients

Clients accommodated by LSC have no ethnic, racial and age preferences.

- working poor or low income/salary workers
- veterans
- farmers
- disabled
- victims of natural disaster

LSC's Legal Services

The local legal services programs of the LSC all over the country provides lawyer representation in cases of:

- welfare problems
- housing issues
- concerns on family law
- issues of consumer protection

Legal assistance is provided free for:

- victims of abuse, violence (e.g. domestic violence)
- senior citizen consumers
- tenants
- seniors and veterans

However, only about two percent of the poor people's civil legal needs are able to be addressed by the local legal services programs of the LSC, notwithstanding the dedication of the attorneys.