Access to Justice

• Citation: Vol. 37 No. 3
• Year: 2025

ACCESS TO JUSTICE

Vol. 37 Issue 3 Pg. 25

South Carolina Lawyer

December, 2025

I Will Assist

Understanding Civil Legal Needs &Bridging the Justice Gap In S.C.

BY HANNAH HONEYCUTT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SC ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSION AND OLIVIA S. JONES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SC BAR FOUNDATION

In 2021, the S.C. Access to Justice Commission, the S.C. Bar. and the NMRS Center-on Professionalism at U.S. C School of Law commissioned South Carolinas first-ever Statewide Civil Legal Needs Assessment. The resulting report is both comprehensive and granular, giving us a deeper understanding of the legal needs of low- and moderate-income South Carolinians and how they access (or can't access) our system of justice. Each installment of this column will focus on a key takeaway from the assessments Executive Summary, in hopes that you will come away better-informed about legal needs in South Carolina and what you can do to help.

Key Finding #11: By quantitative and qualitative measures, legal services resources are well spent.

In the very first installment of this column, we learned about the scope of the justice gap in South Carolina. While there is tremendous need, current resource levels allow the state's legal aid organizations to employ only one lawyer for every 14,855 people who make less than 125% of the federal poverty guidelines and are therefore eligible for their services. By some measures the eligible population is much higher—if we measure the eligibility cutoff at 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (as many funders allow) it's closer to one legal aid lawyer for every 22.000 people.

Despite this mismatch between the number of eligible people and the lawyers available to help them, South Carolina's legal aid providers do a lot with the resources they have. Six of South Carolina's leading legal aid organizations provided data for the Legal Needs Assessment. In 2021, they conducted nearly 19,000 intakes and served nearly 14,000 people with full representation, advice and counsel, or some other form of assistance.

While quantitative factors—like number of cases closed, number of evictions prevented, amount of child support awarded, and number of benefits claims approved—are important, the success of legal aid can't just be measured by numbers. Legal aid lawyers across South Carolina make clients feel heard, sometimes for the first time. They extend a helping hand, often at the most vulnerable point in a person's life. They provide guidance, even if it isn't in court.

Among respondents to the community survey for the Legal Needs Assessment who sought help from a lawyer. 82% got free legal assistance and the rest paid a private attorney a regular or discounted fee. A substantial majority of the people who received help from a lawyer reported that their concerns were taken seriously, that they were treated fairly, and that the lawyer did a good job. During focus groups conducted as part of the study, participants again and again reported that their legal aid lawyers went above and beyond for them. According to one focus group member. "It was like Id. paid this lady fifty thousand dollars. She was in court on time. She brought all my paperwork. They sent me copies of everything. So, it was a free attorney, but I felt she acted like it was a hundred-thousand-dollars attorney and it was free. She treated me that way.'' Another shared that. "I can honestly say that I am really, really grateful, because they did everything that they needed to do to help me.'' Another said, simply, "The one time I had a lawyer, that was the only victory I done had.''

By quantitative and qualitative measures, legal aid resources in South Carolina are well spent. When we invest our time, talent, and resources in civil legal aid, our providers can serve more people and change more lives. Here's how you can help:

Educate: Tell someone about the issues. Send them a copy of the SCATJ Commission's 2023 Legal Needs Assessment or 2021 Justice Gap Report. Talk to your local leaders about the need for civil legal aid.

Volunteer: Take the time to volunteer; contract with legal aid providers around the state; take a case for a low rate or even pro bono.

Donate: Make a donation to one of our legal aid provider partners or to the S.C. Bar Foundation, which makes grants to fund civil legal aid in South Carolina. Next time: Support for expanded legal services is widespread in South Carolina.

Don't want to wait? Read the Assessment and explore the data at scaccesstojustice.org/legal-needs.