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News Release
Texas Access to Justice Foundation
AUSTIN, Texas — As the 84th session of the Texas Legislature closed, $17.56
million in state general revenue has been appropriated for civil legal aid
for disadvantaged Texans. In addition, the state budget will include a new
$10 million line item for the Texas Supreme Court to provide grants for
civil legal services for victims of sexual assault. The funding will be
administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. An additional $3
million has been added for expanded civil legal services to veterans.
The Legislature also passed House Bill 1079 that expands funding available
through the Chief Justice Jack Pope Act that had been enacted in the prior
legislative session. The 2013 legislation directed that the Supreme Court
will receive penalty funds collected by the Attorney General’s office for
violations of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. House Bill 1079 that
is now at the Governor’s office will provide for transfers to the Supreme
Court for Legal Aid grants from violations of other sections of the Business
and Commerce Code including violations of antitrust and identity theft laws.
“Helping
struggling Texans obtain assistance with civil legal concerns is not just
necessary for our democracy to thrive, it’s the right thing to do,” Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, the
Court’s liaison for access to justice issues, said. “We thank our
legislators for supporting our efforts to increase funding for legal
services. Legal aid is fundamental to ensuring justice for all citizens of
this great state.”
The
continued high levels of poverty in our state, combined with a slow recovery
of the national economy, has increased the number of low-income Texans in
need of free civil legal services. Currently, 5.6 million Texans qualify for
legal aid for help with issues such as benefits for veterans, health care
for the elderly, domestic violence and foreclosures.
Interest
on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) is a significant funding source for legal
aid services in Texas, but those funds have decreased significantly due to
historically low interest rates. Since 2007, the Texas Access to Justice
Foundation has experienced a loss of more than $99 million due to the
declines in funding from IOLTA. This decline in funding harmfully affects
legal aid programs throughout the state.
The legal aid system in Texas annually provides more than 100,000 families
with basic civil legal services in times of desperate need. To qualify for
legal aid, an individual cannot earn more than $14,713 a year. For a family
of four, the household income cannot exceed $30,313.
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The
Texas Access to Justice Commission was created in 2001 by the Supreme
Court of Texas to develop and implement policy initiatives designed to
expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters
for low-income Texans. The Commission has created several initiatives to
increase resources and awareness of legal aid. For more information, please
visit www.TexasATJ.org.
The
Texas Access to Justice Foundation (http://www.teajf.org),
created by the Supreme Court of Texas in 1984, is the primary state-based
funding source for the provision of civil legal aid in Texas. The
organization is committed to the vision that all Texans will have equal
access to justice, regardless of their income. The Foundation administers a
variety of funding sources, which are earmarked to assist nonprofit
organizations in providing legal aid to more than 100,000 Texas families
each year. -30-
Contact: Kimberly Schmitt512-320-0099, ext. 104 kschmitt@teajf.org
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