Civil Gideon: Legal Dimensions of the Civil Right to Counsel Debate

The ACS Maryland Lawyer Chapter, the ACS University of Maryland School of Law Student Chapter, and the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys present: 

Civil Gideon: Legal Dimensions of the Civil Right to Counsel Debate  

• Debra Gardner, Legal Director, Public Justice Center; Member, Board of Advisors, ACS Maryland Lawyer Chapter

• Wilhelm H. Joseph, Jr., Executive Director, Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland

• Michael Millemann, Jacob A. France Professor of Public Interest Law, Director, Leadership, Ethics & Democracy Initiative, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

One of the most fundamental rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution is the right to receive legal representation free of charge during a criminal proceeding. Indigent civil litigants, however, have no similar right even if they are facing a potential loss of housing, loss of child custody, or loss of their sole source of income – consequences that, for many, may be more dire than a prison sentence. Advocates for "Civil Gideon" rights from around the country have sought to persuade courts to recognize this right under the federal constitution, state constitutions, as well as federal and state statutory law.  The panelists will discuss the legal arguments surrounding the “Civil Gideon” debate as it has played out nationwide and at home in Maryland.

To RSVP, please visit:

http://www.acslaw.org/CivilGideonRSVP