Is a system of justice that accepts the exclusion of millions of Americans the best that we can do? That's the question at the heart of this half-day conference sponsored by the UNC Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity.

It is estimated that 80% of poor people in the U.S. cannot afford an attorney and cannot obtain representation by a publicly funded lawyer or one willing to work pro bono (at a free or reduced rate). Unlike criminal cases, where poor defendants are appointed an attorney, there is no constitutional right to counsel in civil cases. The alternatives for someone facing the legal system without counsel are stark: go it alone or forgo legal claims, sometimes with dire consequences. A place to live, unemployment or disability benefits, parental rights, necessary medical treatments, protection from domestic violence, safeguards against predatory lending--these can all vanish without the guidance of an attorney.
North Carolina has taken steps to expand access to justice for people who are poor. This conference will look at these efforts, as well as initiatives in other states and nationally, in order to build on this momentum and open the courthouse doors to all.