Creating a Legal Aid Center

 Access to justice should not depend entirely on a person's ability to hire an attorney.

Clark County currently offers resources for people representing themselves, including a Family Court Facilitator, the Law Library and self-help forms. However, these services are limited. Courthouse facilitators are not attorneys, cannot give legal advice and cannot represent people in court. None of the actual document needed to file are not online. 

Clark County needs a courthouse based Legal Aid Department where all residents can receive meaningful help from qualified attorneys and trained legal professionals. With the free fillable forms online, as apose to them selling the forms that you need to file.

The Need for Legal Aid

People frequently enter the courthouse facing serious legal problems involving their homes, families, finances and personal safety. Many cannot afford an attorney, yet they must understand complicated laws, complete legal documents and follow unfamiliar court procedures without professional guidance.

Without adequate assistance, people may file incorrect documents, miss deadlines or lose important rights. These mistakes can delay cases, increase court workloads and make an already difficult experience more expensive for everyone.

A Legal Aid Department would assist the residents of Clark County with civil legal matters such as:

• Family law
• Housing and eviction
• Domestic violence and protection orders
• Guardianship
• Consumer and debt matters
• Probate and estate issues
• Appeals and other court procedures
• Referrals for matters requiring specialized representation

The services would be for all the people of Clark County, the type and urgency of the legal problem, available resources and potential conflicts of interest.

More Than Forms and Instructions

Self-help forms and procedural information are valuable, but they are not substitutes for legal advice. The current forms online are not the accutal form that need to be filed. They currently sell the forms needed to file.

A courthouse based Legal Aid Department should provide:

• Initial legal consultations
• Help identifying the correct legal process
• Assistance preparing and reviewing documents
• Information about legal rights and responsibilities
• Referrals to volunteer and specialized attorneys
• Limited representation when resources permit
• Educational clinics and workshops
• Coordinated access to mediation and other dispute resolution services

The department must operate independently and protect confidentiality. Clerk’s Office employees would continue to remain neutral and would not provide legal advice themselves.

Building on Existing Resources

Clark County does not need to duplicate the work of organizations already serving the community. The county should coordinate with the Superior Court, Clark County Law Library, local attorneys, bar associations, law schools, Northwest Justice Project and other nonprofit legal-service providers.

The goal should be to create one accessible location where residents can learn what assistance is available and connect with the appropriate service.

Responsible Funding

A Legal Aid Department should be established through a responsible and sustainable funding plan that does not place the entire cost on local taxpayers.

Potential funding sources should include:

• State and federal grants
• Washington Office of Civil Legal Aid funding
• County appropriations
• Partnerships with nonprofit legal aid organizations
• Volunteer and reduced fee attorney programs
• Law school clinical programs
• Private and charitable grants
• Donations permitted by law

Before implementation, Clark County should identify the expected demand, staffing requirements, eligibility standards, available grants and measurable goals for the program.

My Commitment

As Clark County Clerk, I will work collaboratively with the Superior Court, County Council, Law Library, local attorneys and legal aid organizations to develop a courthouse based Legal Aid Department.

The programs are for everyone who lives in Clark County, strong ethical safeguards, responsible funding and transparent measurements of its results.

The courthouse belongs to every citizen. People who cannot afford an attorney should still be treated with dignity, receive understandable information and have a meaningful opportunity to protect their legal rights.

Providing effective legal assistance would improve access to justice, reduce avoidable mistakes and help the courthouse operate more efficiently.

Friends of Rachel Shapiro P.O. Box 5912 Vancouver, WA 98668