The grants are being distributed to not-for-profit providers of civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers across the state.
This state program, now in its fifth year, has provided thousands of residents with effective legal assistance, helping them to escape domestic violence, cope with family-related legal problems, avert homelessness and receive critical services and benefits relating to health care, education and subsistence income.
The Chief Judge's Permanent Commission on Access to Justice is promoting a series of measures aimed at assisting civil legal service providers reach New Yorkers living in poverty to make the courts accessible and navigable by all regardless of their income.
"This is welcome news. It is a valuable program for areas like ours with high levels of poverty to ensure those with the highest level of need have a voice in matters involving the essentials of life, including safe housing and family matters," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"But this is just one piece in the puzzle. It is also important for the state to pick up the full costs of providing indigent defense to all New Yorkers in place of the current system that has a patchwork of programs that differ from county to county and place the greatest burden on our poorest counties," Assemblywoman Russell.
"Just because we live in an area with economic challenges doesn't mean our people shouldn't have access to legal representation like those living in wealthy areas downstate," she added.
Assemblywoman Russell said the following legal service providers in the area will be recipients of the state grants:
Jefferson County:
• Legal Services of Central New York: $515,759
• Rural Law Center of New York: $27,028
• Volunteer Lawyers Program of Onondaga County: $27,500
• Workers Justice Center of New York: $13,125
Total: $583,412
St. Lawrence County:
• Legal Services of Central New York: $499,354
• Rural Law Center of New York: $36,000
• Workers Justice Center of New York: $17,500
• Pro Bono Net: $840
Total: $553,694
Assemblywoman Russell said the funding is critical to helping the state achieve the idea of equal access of civil justice for all.
"It is critical to the integrity of our legal system to make sure the working men and women that make up the middle class in the North Country and those living in poverty have access to the same legal protections and access to quality legal services as the wealthiest New Yorkers," Assemblywoman Russell said. "We simply can't afford a legal system that benefits the wealthy and penalizes the poor."
