Panel Discussion: International, National, and Local Perspectives on Civil Right to Counsel

The following is based on a transcript of a panel discussion which took place at An Obvious Truth: Creating an Action Blueprint for a Civil Right to Counsel in New York State, held at Touro Law Center, Central Islip, New York, in March, 2008

Justice for All: Moving Toward Civil Gideon in New York

The right to an attorney in a criminal proceeding was firmly established by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, in 1963. The United States has lagged in establishing the right to counsel in the civil arena. In 2016, the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index for Civil Justice ranked the United States 28 out of the 113 countries assessed, due in part to deficient accessibility and affordability of civil justice. The quest for the right to counsel in civil cases, or “Civil Gideon,” has inched forward in the state of New York in New York City housing cases. This accomplishment is the result of many hands: community members, community organizers, attorneys and elected officials. This panel will explore whether Civil Gideon is fundamental to ensuring justice in the civil arena. The panel will also discuss the Universal Access to Counsel Program in New York City Housing Court and the community-based effort that spurred the New York City Council and the mayor of New York to fund this unprecedented multimillion-dollar effort. Co-sponsored by the Asian-Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA), the Black Law Students Association (BLSA), the Latino/a American Law Students Association (LALSA), Phi Alpha Beta, the Public Justice Foundation, and the South Asian Law Student Association (SALSA)

Panel Discussion: International, National, and Local Perspectives on Civil Right to Counsel

The following is based on a transcript of a panel discussion which took place at An Obvious Truth: Creating an Action Blueprint for a Civil Right to Counsel in New York State, held at Touro Law Center, Central Islip, New York, in March, 2008