The Civil Legal Aid Crisis in Eviction Cases

Options and Opportunities

Bethany Saunders-Medina, Adriana Temprano, Jamie Morikawa, Anne Bloom, Julia Pelletier

Expert InsightsPublished Sep 29, 2025

In this document, the authors provide a transcript of a symposium that explored the legal aid crisis in eviction cases, in which most tenants face proceedings without legal representation. Panelists examined how this disparity shapes court outcomes and considered strategies to address them. Discussion centered on expanding access to counsel, simplifying legal processes for self-represented tenants, and adopting systemic reforms aimed at promoting greater balance and fairness in housing courts.

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Saunders-Medina, Bethany, Adriana Temprano, Jamie Morikawa, Anne Bloom, and Julia Pelletier, The Civil Legal Aid Crisis in Eviction Cases: Options and Opportunities. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2025. https://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CFA4040-1.html.
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This conference was supported by a generous grant from the American Association for Justice Robert L. Habush Endowment and conducted by the RAND Institute for Civil Justice, part of the Justice Policy Program of RAND Social and Economic Well-Being.

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