Legal Services Bill: A Victory for People of Wyoming
Governor Dave Freudenthal signed House Bill 0061 into law March 11, 2010,
creating a legal services program for indigent Wyoming residents. The
program will be critical to ensuring access to the courts for those who
would not otherwise be able to afford an attorney.
Wyoming’s Access to Justice Commission worked tirelessly to make this day a reality. Commission member R. Daniel Fleck, of The Spence Law Firm, LLC, was happy with the result: “equal access to the courts is a hallmark of our democracy. This is a great day for the people of Wyoming.”
The Wyoming Supreme Court – or a nonprofit organization designated by the Court – will operate the program, which will fund legal services for indigent Wyomingites in need of civil legal services. Wyoming’s extremely poor population is estimated to be 75,000; without legal services funding, approximately 80% of that demographic could not afford representation.