Why Civil Legal Aid?

Maine is facing a civil justice crisis.

Civil legal aid is a cornerstone in ensuring justice for all, allowing individuals to solve legal problems without going to court or to assert their rights and defend themselves in civil legal matters.

The need for legal services continues to outpace existing resources. This year, legal service providers are challenged by a precarious legal landscape, which requires their attorneys to stay on top of changes in law and the loss of agency staff, who provide necessary information regarding benefit programs. The situation is exacerbated by changes in federal policy resulting in drastic reductions to and uncertainty about the continuation of federal programs and funding streams.

The consequences of inadequate legal aid services reach far beyond the individual—they affect families, communities, courts, and our entire state.

360,000+

Number of Maine residents who rely on civil legal aid providers as their sole source of legal representation.

1 out of 10

The number of legal problems of at-risk Mainers addressed through civil legal aid.

Fewer than 2 per 10,000

Ratio of legal aid lawyers to residents in Maine.

The National Justice Index goal is 10 per 10,000.

600%

Estimated return on investment in civil legal aid.

Research shows $1 spent on civil legal aid results in $6 of economic benefits.

Civil legal aid helps Mainers solve problems.

Civil legal aid providers offer assistance to Maine residents who are facing the most stressful times of their lives. Often, an individual’s basic survival depends on escaping abuse, securing safe housing, or accessing healthcare. Yet all too often, Mainers are left to navigate complicated systems and the legal landscape on their own—a situation that can be detrimental to all parties and to the system itself.