Civil Legal Needs Study Update 2015 Washington State Civil Legal Needs Study Update Committee Washington State Supreme Court - October 2015

Civil Legal Needs: First Look Since 2003 Statewide survey of 1,600+ low-income Washingtonians conducted by WSU-SESRC in late 2014

Civil Legal Problems are Common 7 of 10 low-income Washington households face at least one significant civil legal problem each year. The average number of problems is rising.

The Most Common Problems Have Changed Health care. Consumer/Finance. Employment. But people most likely to seek help with other problems.

Who You Are Matters

Discrimination and Unfair Treatment is Widespread

Data Tracking Results in Unfair Treatment

The Vast Majority of Low- income Washingtonians Face Their Problems Alone

Many Don’t Understand Their Problems Have Legal Dimension 65% of those who have a civil legal issue do not seek help at all.

Low-income Washingtonians Have Limited Confidence in the State’s Civil Justice System

Our Challenge 1: 10,783 “Will people in my position, or worse off than I, get any sort of meaningful help?” – A low-income Washingtonian responding to the 2014 survey