Support Civil Legal Aid!

HELP BRIDGE THE JUSTICE GAP -- PLEASE ASK YOUR LEGISLATORS to INVEST IN CIVIL LEGAL AID!

Civil legal aid works to protect people from domestic and financial abuse and neglect; to keep people housed; to help them get and keep jobs; to keep custody of a child; to gain access to health care; and much more. In most civil legal aid matters, there is no right to counsel, so Mainers who can't afford a lawyer must face these legal problems without help.

Maine has a strong civil legal aid infrastructure in place - made up of seven core legal aid providers who coordinate closely and make efficient use of their funding. Unfortunately, this system has long been woefully underfunded. This means thousands of Mainers have legal needs that are going unmet, which has negative consequences for them, for our communities, and for our economy.

Right now, the Appropriations Committee is making tough decisions and there are lots of competing demands. We need them to know that funding for civil legal aid should be a priority and is worthy of real investment. Our legislators need to hear from us about why this is so important.

Join the Justice Action Group to help us make the case for investing in civil legal aid in Maine. Please take a few minutes to write your representatives to share why you support this investment.

We know that investing more in civil legal aid will:
  • move Maine closer to fulfilling the promise of equal justice for ALL;
  • result in an influx of millions of dollars into Maine’s economy, bring tangible cost savings to our state, and stimulate our local economy; and
  • make the court system work better and more efficiently.
Maine lawmakers need to hear from us! Thank you for sending a letter to YOUR legislators! When they hear from you, they know an issue matters!