Increased Awareness and Support for Civil Legal Aid

In recent coverage from Minnesota Lawyer, the overall gaps in the availability of legal aid nationally and in Minnesota were cited, as well as the nonexistence of the right to counsel in civil cases. These access issues, along with the well-known gap in coverage between rural and urban areas, were discussed at a recent webinar hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA). One of the panelists, Radhika Singh, vice president of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) said that legal aid attorneys should be thought of as “human services providers” because of the ripple effect that civil legal problems can have on the health and well-being of people.

In Minnesota specifically, Katy Drahos, access to justice director at the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), noted that statewide access mirrors the nation and that greater Minnesota faces different challenges. “In rural areas, there are fewer attorneys per population and larger service areas. Also, lack of broadband access in some areas can make court appearances challenging for both attorneys and clients. In the metro area, there is a higher volume of cases which makes it tough to meet the need at current funding levels,” Drahos said.

The lack of adequate funding for legal aid has been a perennial problem in Minnesota and throughout the county. A positive sign in Minnesota recently was the state’s historic 85% increase in funding for civil legal aid services, allowing programs to reasonably increase salaries, retain attorneys, and improve services.

Justice North, which serves 11 counties in northeastern Minnesota, has also leveraged resources that became available during the pandemic, such as virtual court. With a service area of about 27,000 square miles, and a staff of 40, virtual court has been a game-changer, according to executive director Dori Rapaport. So has the use of a network of community legal kiosks that allow financially eligible residents to seek legal information and aid in a setting outside their home. “The technology allows people to meaningfully engage with legal matters,” Rapaport said. “Now, we’re in a position where other states are looking to us for how we provide rural access.” Read more in “Civil legal aid draws greater attention, support” from Minnesota Lawyer.

LSC's Model Practices & Innovations Report Features LSNM Contributions

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) recently featured data and best practices from Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) in its Model Practices & Innovations series. In the report, LSNM shares how Legal Kiosks and Justice Buses helped the program bridge the digital divide and reach clients without reliable internet access.

LSNM’s executive director, Anne Hoefgen, and communications and outreach coordinator, Kelly Wencl, contributed to the publication, which covers challenges of the pre-existing digital divide in greater Minnesota. That divide was exacerbated when Minnesota courts shifted from in-person hearings to remote civil proceedings in March 2020 in compliance with public health orders.

In 2020 LSNM received LSC-provided COVID-19 funding to increase reach in their service area while awaiting CARES Act funding. Then, working with the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition (MLSC), Reach Justice Minnesota was formed to leverage technology and staffing during the pandemic. Four legal aid organizations primarily comprise Reach Justice and collectively cover all 87 Minnesota counties. Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (LASNEM), Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA), Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS), and Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) serve as the four regional hubs for the project’s initiatives. For more about the resulting innovations and current practices, read Dialing Up: How Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Expanded Its Services to Bridge the Digital Divide.

SMRLS' Justice Bus Tours Communities in Southern Minnesota

Spring is finally here, and Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) is on the road bringing legal services access and resources directly to the people with its Justice Bus. Beginning this week, the Justice Bus is traveling through communities in southern Minnesota like Rushford, Preston, Le Roy, Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Owatonna, and Faribault. The bus is a mobile legal aid office, so instead of people coming to a SMRLS office to get legal services, the program comes to them.

First launched in summer 2021, the Justice Bus project, along with Legal Kiosks, are part of Reach Justice Minnesota, a series of initiatives created to leverage technology in response to the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19 and to meet clients in their communities.

Jocylyn Poehler, lead family law attorney of SMRLS’ southeast region, recently spoke with News 8 Now and KIMT News 3 about the planned stops on this opening Justice Bus tour, what kind of services are offered, and hopes for a meaningful impact in the lives of those who use it.

LSNM and Park Rapids Library Partner to Provide Legal Kiosk Services

For those who visit the Park Rapids Area Library in northern Minnesota, a free legal kiosk station is now available to help them address their legal issues. Originally a partnership between Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) and the MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership, renovations at the community center’s office prompted the suggestion to relocate at the public library.

The library’s branch manager, Jodi Schultz, agreed it was a great location for a kiosk, which is now located in the library’s upstairs meeting room. Kelly Wencl, communication and outreach coordinator for LSNM, said “These legal kiosks are mini-tech centers that are hosted by community partners, and allow for video access to an attorney or courthouses, along with printers, scanners, etc. The kiosks will provide safe access to legal information and legal aid lawyers across our service area.” Wencl noted that there are over 250 legal kiosks across Minnesota with nearly 60 located in northwest Minnesota, including at the Fergus Falls and Bemidji public libraries.

In addition to such uses as attending a court hearing remotely, meeting with a legal aid attorney, printing and emailing documents, or filling out forms, Wencl explained, “the kiosk can be used by community members for a wide variety of things, such as telehealth appointments or job interviews. It is not limited in capacity to only legal topics, information and resources.”

Reservations for the kiosk are recommended and can be made by calling the Park Rapids Library. Read more in Free, legal ‘mini-tech center’ moves into Park Rapids Library.