Title
Equal Access Fund | Distribution of Partnership Grant (Action Required)
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Summary
The Budget Act of 2020 includes over $23 million in the Equal Access Fund for general distribution to legal services providers and support centers. The Budget Act provides that the Judicial Council distribute these funds through the State Bar’s Legal Services Trust Fund Commission. The Judicial Council approved recommendations for distribution of those funds at its meeting of September 25, 2020. Shortly after that meeting, State Bar staff learned that one grant proposal had not been considered due to a computer error. After review of that proposal, the State Bar’s Legal Services Trust Fund Commission recommends funding the project using funds held in reserve by the State Bar.
Recommendation
The Legal Services Trust Fund Commission recommends that the Judicial Council, effective January 21, 2021, approve the distribution of $58,867 in Equal Access Partnership Grant funds to the Santa Clara University School of Law’s Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center for its program conducted jointly with the Superior Court of Santa Clara County to provide legal assistance to self-represented litigants.