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Brief History of Civil Legal Aid in the US

Alternative: PDF version available. The full text of this content below was originally published in 2018 as a stand-alone report and is still available in the original PDF version: Securing Equal Justice for All: A Brief History of Civil Legal Assistance in the United States (May 2018) (65-page PDF)

Table of contents

  • Introduction and Acknowledgements
  • 1876-1965: Early Years of Legal Aid
  • 1965-1975: OEO Era
  • 1975-1981: Legal Services Corporation
  • 1981-1996: Struggle for Survival
  • 1996-2009: Legal Services After the Restrictions
  • 2009-2017: Obama Administration
  • 2017-present: The emerging era
  • Endnotes
  • References

History of Civil Legal Aid

  • History of Civil Legal Aid: Main
  • Brief history of civil legal aid
    • Introduction and Acknowledgements
    • 1876-1965: Early Years of Legal Aid
    • 1965-1975: OEO Era
    • 1975-1981: Legal Services Corporation
    • 1981-1996: Struggle for Survival
    • 1996-2009: Legal Services After the Restrictions
    • 2009-2017: Obama Administration
    • 2017-present: The emerging era
    • Endnotes
    • References
  • Civil legal aid: Support
    • 1973-74: Attacks on the support structure and back-up centers
    • 1975-77: New LSC reorganizes support to conform with the Green Amendment
    • 1982-85: Support system fights for survival under Reagan-appointed LSC board
    • 1985-1992: LSC-funded support continues
    • 1993-94: Clinton-appointed LSC board focuses on support
    • 1995: Congressional conservatives fail to phase out LSC but eliminate much support funding
    • 2019: Where it stands
    • The future of support
  • Restrictions on LSC civil legal aid
    • 1974: Restrictions in original LSC Act
    • 1980s: Restrictions added on LSC funds
    • 1996: Restrictions imposed in 1996 and continued to date
    • Table of restrictions on LSC-funded civil legal aid
  • Civil legal aid biennial updates: 2001-2021
  • ABA’s SCLAID Committee

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