Speak Out and Be Heard – Your Opinion Counts

 

Three out of four low-income Mainers do not have a lawyer when they need one.  Policymakers believe this is not fair and are trying to change this.  You can help.  To fix the problems, they need to know what is wrong and how to make things better.  They want to hear from you and others most affected about how best to improve things.

 

Please take a few minutes to answer the following questions. You do not need to provide your name.  Please add paper if you need more space.  If you are using a form that has been translated into a language other than English, please have someone help you write your answers in English.

 

1.      Have you ever needed a lawyer and not been able to get one?

        Yes                                      No                         

 

2.  Please check the reason(s) you believe you were unable to get legal

    assistance:

ð             Lacked money for private attorney but couldn’t get legal aid

ð             Financially qualified for legal aid, but told legal aid cannot assist

ð             Lack of a local legal aid office

ð             Couldn’t go to legal aid because of limited office hours

ð             Lack of transportation to reach assistance

            Phone lines were busy

ð            Absence of toll-free number to call

ð             Lack of physical accessibility or accommodations for the disabled

ð             Lack of translators or interpreters

ð             Immigration status posed barriers to accessing assistance

ð              No agency offers free or low cost assistance with the following legal issues (please list): _________________________________________________________

ð             Please list others: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

3.  Why did you need a lawyer?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

4.  Have you or someone in your family ever had to go to court without a lawyer?

              Yes                                                  No

 

 

 

Please continue on back

 

5.  If you have gone to court without a lawyer, why did you go to court?

      _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

6.  Have you or someone in your family ever had to go to a hearing at an administrative agency, such as DHHS or the Department of Labor, without a lawyer?

              Yes                                                  No

 

7.   If you have gone to a hearing at an administrative agency without a lawyer, why did you go to a hearing?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

8.  If you have gone to court or an administrative hearing without a lawyer, did you have any difficulty and if so what? (check all that apply)

       I did not have any difficulty

       I did not understand the hearing/proceeding

       I could not explain my position well

       I did not feel I was being listened to

       I needed an interpreter and couldn’t get one

       The other side had a lawyer and I felt at a disadvantage

       I lost my case

        Other, please explain ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. Do you have any ideas about how these problems could be fixed?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

___________________________           _________________________________________

Your town                                                 _____________________________________

                                                                  _____________________________________

                                                            Please provide your name and email or address if you would like to be informed

                                                                  about the planning process.

 

 

Return surveys to:  Sally Sutton, Justice Action Group, P.O. Box 2460, South Portland, ME 04116-2460; or email: to jag@maine.rr.com (put JAG Planning Survey in the subject line); or fax to Maine Bar Foundation:  623-4140.