Legislature could whack legal aid for the needy (NC)

"Out of sight of most of us, tens of thousands of low-income North Carolinians receive desperately needed free legal help every year. Legal-aid lawyers rescue women from violent situations, win benefits for veterans, secure health care for poor people, guide people through foreclosures and help seniors recover from financial scams.

Now legislators plan to ax the $1.7 million of state money that goes to agencies that provide this aid. The proposal has been floating around for weeks and made it into the final budget the House and Senate are considering this week. Legal Aid of North Carolina stands to lose most of the money; Legal Services of Southern Piedmont in Charlotte and Pisgah Legal Services in Asheville would also take a hit. The money comes not from taxes but from court fees."

Continue Reading