Fiscal Year 2009 Letter

General Counsel from 99 Massachusetts corporations and institutions signed this year's letter to the Governor and Legislative leadership urging them to increase funding for civil legal aid in fiscal year 2009. 

November 1, 2007

His Excellency Deval L. Patrick
Governor
State House, Room 360
Boston, Massachusetts 02133

Dear Governor Patrick:

As counsel to some of the state’s leading corporations and institutions, we write to urge your support for an issue that is critical to the Commonwealth and our system of justice.  As you know, civil legal aid programs throughout the state are forced to turn away half of all eligible callers because they lack funding.  As a result, low-income Massachusetts residents with serious civil legal problems often find themselves without legal advice and representation.  They are left to navigate the judicial system by themselves when confronted with complex issues such as domestic violence, child custody, homelessness, disability and other critical human needs.  
 
To address the problem, we urge you to increase funding for civil legal aid by $5 million in your fiscal year 2009 budget.  An increase of $5 million in FY09 in line item 0321-1600 (Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation:  $14,670,424) would provide desperately needed civil legal assistance to more of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents.

Businesses and institutions rely on the smooth functioning of our legal system, and access to justice is fundamental to the operation of that system.  Civil legal aid is a cost effective program that helps maintain the equities that hold together our democratic society and our Commonwealth.  It is clear to us, as corporate and institutional attorneys, that unless everyone has access to the courts, the perception of bias can erode confidence in our justice system and our government.

It is essential that the Commonwealth provide a level playing field, so that legal advice and representation in serious civil matters is available to those who need it notwithstanding their ability to pay.

Thank you for considering our request.  We deeply appreciate your support.