Lawyers for needy form partnership

One helps in criminal trials, the other in civil cases

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The Maryland Public Defender’s Office and the Legal Aid Bureau have formed a pilot program to make it easier for low-income residents to get a lawyer.

The Public Defender’s Office represents people in criminal cases who cannot afford a lawyer; the Legal Aid Bureau provides attorneys for civil cases.

In the past, the two agencies seldom worked together. Under the pilot program, if a public defender learns that a criminal defendant also faces eviction or a child custody issue, the client will be referred to the Legal Aid Bureau.

While it may seem a small step, the county’s chief public defender and Legal Aid Bureau attorneys praised the pilot program.

‘‘We’re very excited about this collaboration,” said Paul B. DeWolfe Jr., the county’s public defender.

The two groups began meeting about six months ago, he said, and the Public Defender’s Office has already referred a handful of cases to Legal Aid.

The program is modeled on one developed in the Bronx, N.Y.

‘‘We hope to address their criminal charges and any of the social or other legal issues that are in their way of rebuilding their lives,” DeWolfe said. ‘‘What we found is when a client comes to our office with a criminal charge ... often the criminal charge might be the least of their problems. They might have to deal with addiction, they might be homeless, or they might face losing custody of their children.”

In many cases, housing managers will move to evict a tenant charged with a crime. Helping a criminal defendant’s family avoid an eviction can keep innocent children from being made homeless, said Lisa Schifferle, supervising attorney for the Legal Aid Bureau.

‘‘There’s no reason for those children to be caught in the ripple effect,” she said. ‘‘People recognize the need for criminal lawyers, but the civil side can be just as devastating.”