Des Moines óThe Iowa Supreme Court has approved more than $321,000 in grants to non-profit programs that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems. The court awarded grants to 15 different organizations throughout Iowa. The grants are funded by the Interest on the Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) program. IOLTA grant funds are generated entirely from interest earned on certain pooled trust accounts held by Iowa lawyers. With this year’s grants, the Supreme Court has awarded nearly $23 million in IOLTA grants since the program began on July 1, 1985.
“Even in good economic times, many people cannot afford to pay for legal representation,” Chief Justice Mark Cady said. “The recession has worsened this problem. More Iowans face serious civil legal problems such as home foreclosure and debt collection actions. At the same time, more Iowans are struggling financially. Given these circumstances, IOLTA grants are especially helpful and important. “
How do Iowa lawyers fund IOLTA grants? Attorneys practicing law in Iowa are required by court order to deposit clients’ funds being held by the lawyer in interest-bearing accounts. When the funds involved are so small in amount or held for such a brief period of time that it is not possible for the funds to economically benefit the individual client, court rules require that they be deposited in pooled interest-bearing trust accounts.
The IOLTA program is managed by a seven-member commission that reviews grant applications and then makes award recommendations to the supreme court. In the 25-year history of the IOLTA program, most of the grant awards have been directed to support organizations that assist low-income Iowans with civil legal problems such as divorce, domestic abuse, unsafe housing and illegal evictions. Grants have also been presented to law-related education projects. IOLTA grants do not support criminal legal defense.
The following grants have been awarded for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011 and ending June 30, 2012:
Iowa Legal Aid (Des Moines) ó $147,000
For legal staff to serve regional offices of the grantee in an established program of civil case assistance to low-income Iowans. (Service area: statewide).
HELP Through Education and Law Program, Inc. (Davenport)ó $21,400
For legal staff to offer civil legal assistance to indigent and elderly persons, particularly in the areas of domestic relations, community legal education, service to the institutionalized elderly and domestic abused, and administrative advocacy. (Service area: two-county area including Scott and Clinton.)
Muscatine Legal Servicesó $5,000
For additional legal staff to maintain an existing program of civil legal assistance to low-income residents. (Service area: Muscatine County.)
Legal Aid Society of Story County (Nevada) ó $10,000
For legal staff support to offset demand for legal assistance for low-income persons. (Service area: Story County.)
Polk County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project (Des Moines) ó $37,400
For staff for volunteer lawyer referral service in Polk County serving the low-income community. (Service area: Polk County.)
Sioux County Low Fee Panel, Sioux County Bar Association (Sioux Center) ó $1,575
For funds to provide civil legal assistance for economically disadvantaged individuals in the Sioux County area. (Service area: Sioux County.)
Iowa State Bar Association Public Service Project (Des Moines) ó $37,900
For staff and technical support to increase the participation of attorneys in existing volunteer lawyer projects for indigent Iowans and provide assistance to legal service agencies. (Service area: statewide.)
Civil Legal Assistance Fund (Mason City) ó $5,000
For funds to provide civil legal assistance to low-income fathers, mothers, or children involved in dissolution of marriage or modification cases in which other legal assistance is not available. (Service area: Second Judicial District.)
Know Your Constitution Committee of the Young Lawyers Division, Iowa State Bar Association (Des Moines) ó $2,565
For funds for the Know Your Constitution Program, which provides education to Iowa high school students about the United States Constitution. (Service area: statewide)
Clinical Law Program, Drake University Law School Legal Clinic (Des Moines) ó $10,400
For funds to continue the Poverty Law Internship Program, a clinical law program in which upper level law students intern with legal service providers throughout the state. (Service area: statewide.)
Iowa Legal Aid (Des Moines) ó $25,000
For legal staff support to continue the Legal Hotline for Older Iowans. (Service area: statewide.)
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (Des Moines) ó $4,050
For funds to provide immigration and domestic violence related legal services to battered immigrant women and their children. (Service area: statewide.)
Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault (Des Moines) ó $4,400
For funds to support law-related education and attorney training specific to the issues of sexual assault on Iowa youth. (Service area: statewide.)
Iowa Justice For Our Neighbors (Des Moines) ó $5,000
For funds to provide legal services to low-income immigrants involved in removal proceedings or other immigration-law matters. (Service area: statewide.)
Kids First Law Center (Cedar Rapids) ó $2,650
For funds to provide legal services to children in high-conflict divorce and custody cases when their parents cannot afford counsel for them. (Service area: Two-county area including Linn and Johnson)
Centerville Community Betterment (Centerville) ó $2,500
For funds to provide civil legal assistance for economically disadvantaged individuals in the Appanoose County and Monroe County areas. (Service area: Appanoose County and Monroe County.)|
