By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Residents struggling to afford legal representation can now lean on community justice workers for aid in civil cases thanks to an order issued by the D.C. Courts on Feb. 5.
Community Justice Worker (CJW) programs are becoming increasingly common across the U.S. as a central approach to closing the “justice gap,” or the mismatch between the high amount of civil legal needs among low-income communities and the limited access to legal resources to address them.
Under the D.C. Courts’ order, non-lawyers who undergo specialized training—community justice workers— will be able to help individuals by explaining court processes, providing legal advice, preparing court documents and delivering partial in-court support.
“This initiative reflects the DC Courts’ deep commitment to ensuring that everyone who comes to us can meaningfully participate in their case,” said Judge Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, chief judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals, in a Feb. 5 release. “Too many people facing critical issues—like eviction, child custody or safety from abuse— have had to do so without legal help. This program will expand support where it is needed most.”
The order is a result of the Civil Regulatory Reform Task Force, which was established by the D.C. Courts in 2023to assess strategies for narrowing the justice gap for low- and middle-income Washingtonians involved in civil cases. In 2025, the task force released its report, calling for the creation of CJW programs.
“It’s true— whether it’s in landlord and tenant, small claims, probate, divorce, custody, protection orders, that entire arena where there is no constitutional right to a free attorney,” said Judge Milton Lee, chief judge of the D.C. Superior Court, in a Feb. 5 statement. “This is the courts’ efforts to level the playing field among the thousands of litigants that come through our doors every year.”
According to a 2022 study from the Legal Services Corporation, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress, low-income Americans did not receive any or adequate legal assistance for 92 percent of their civil disputes. Additionally, 46 percent of people who did not seek legal aid cited affordability concerns as a reason why. Experts say CJW programs could change this pattern.
David Singleton, professor of law and associate dean of clinics at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), characterized the D.C. Courts’ order as a big win for Washingtonians.
“While D.C. is not the first jurisdiction to allow community justice workers, this is a growing trend across the country,” Singleton told the AFRO. “More than 90 percent of folks who have civil legal service needs are not met. Allowing folks who are trained to provide basic advice and help is going to make a very big difference for communities of color and other poor people who can’t afford to hire a lawyer.”
Singleton emphasized that having access to legal aid can make a difference in judicial outcomes, especially in eviction and debt cases. He believes the approval of CJW programs in D.C. will help to build trust between residents and the courts.
“One of the reasons that folks who are unrepresented tend not to trust the system is because the system’s designed to work against them if they are going into the courthouse without an advocate,” said Singleton. “I think, as a result of this, we will find more trust in our legal system, and that’s important, particularly in these times when we have an administration who’s trying to sow doubt in our judiciary.”
