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In Forma Pauperis Subcommittee, Chair Jeff Coreil

The IFP subcommittee was established to investigate and resolve reports of misapplication of the
in forma pauperis (IFP) statutes by judges and clerks of court. Such misapplication prevents
litigants who do not have the means to pay in advance from accessing the courts. With the approval
of the Board of Governors, the committee approached the Louisiana State Law Institute (LSLI) to
request their review of the law that could clarify the appropriate application of the statute. The
LSLI made several recommendations which were first submitted to the Louisiana Legislature as
HB 568 in 2020, paused due to COVID-19, then re-enrolled in the 2021 session as HB 108. The
bill was passed on May 20, 2021 and amends the Code of Civil Procedure to require that courts
receiving an application for IFP must either grant the application, deny it and provide written
reasoning, or set the matter for hearing. Additionally, the bill stipulates that IFP litigants are
entitled to receive a certified copy of the judgment rendered regardless of whether court costs have
been paid. The LSLI will continue to review other statutes related to IFP to determine whether any
additional changes are needed.

Access to Justice Commission
The ATJ Commission brings together leadership from the LSBA, judiciary, pro bono
organizations, the LBF, and private bar to address policy-level issues related to the pursuit of
access to justice in Louisiana. Commissioners collaborate and address issues impacting efforts to
provide access to legal services to low-income Louisianans. Detailed below are the group’s
subcommittees and projects, which address specific issue areas:

Justice For All Project
In October 2019, the ATJ Commission was awarded the Justice For All Project (JFA) grant from
the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The purpose of the project is to bring traditional and
non-traditional stakeholders together to collaborate on statewide efforts that advance meaningful
access to civil legal services. The Louisiana Justice For All Project was led by a diverse group of
stakeholders including representatives from the Louisiana Supreme Court, Louisiana ATJ
Commission, LSBA, legal aid organizations, public libraries, and local community organizations.
The initial grant was administered through the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

During the first year of the Project, the Commission completed an Inventory Assessment, which
included a thorough statewide examination of citizens’ access to in-person civil legal resources.
The findings show that in Louisiana, over 600,000 people meeting income eligibility for civil legal
aid must drive 45-min or more to get legal help. These areas, termed “civil legal resources deserts”
encompass 60% of the state’s landmass and were found using Geographic Information Systems
Mapping tool. These maps were featured in the LSBA’s April/May 2021 Bar Journal, several
local articles and news outlets, and in the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s civil legal aid media
campaign. The final JFA report with recommendations is available here. From this report, the ATJ
Commission created a strategic plan - which has become a staple of the Commission’s projects
and initiatives.

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