VOA标准英语2011--Activists Push for Right to Counsel in US Civil Cases

Activists¹ Push for Right to Counsel in US Civil Cases

People who are charged with crimes in the United States have a constitutional right to have an attorney provided to them by the government, if they can not afford one on their own. Legal advocates for the poor also want that right expanded to low-income people caught in non-criminal - or civil - cases.

Each year, millions of non-criminal cases in the United States are heard in civil court - cases involving child custody² battles, housing evictions and other issues, including the case of Juliana Holmes in Baltimore, Maryland. Holmes’ estranged⁴ husband took away their three children when she was living in another state - and she could not afford a lawyer to get them back.

“He just took them out of the state of North Carolina so I moved here to follow my kids," said Holmes.

Holmes eventually got joint⁵ custody of her children with the help of a private organization called Maryland Legal Aid, which provided her with a lawyer at no cost.

Trish Cochran was her attorney. She’s among a growing number of lawyers and judges who think the right to an attorney, for critical civil cases such as these, should be a basic legal right in the United States. Right now, it is not.

“People have a constitutional right to their children; a right to have just some place to live; to have access to the resources that are available. It’s just that people don’t always have the savvy⁶ [knowledge] to get the resources that are there for them,” said Cochran.

Legal aid advocates say millions of people represent themselves in civil court without any legal training or experience.

People like Daniel Thurston. He, his wife and five year-old disabled son faced eviction³ - unless they could get a delay in civil court.

“To go to court and spend money that you don’t have for a lawyer and you can’t even pay the rent, so how can you do it?” he asked.

Legal aid advocate Deborah Gardner wants to see the millions like Thurston have the right to an attorney in civil cases. She said most developed countries in the world enacted⁷ statutory rights to civil counsel long ago - leaving the U.S. lagging far behind.

“It’s frustrating⁸ that a country that seeks to be a world leader remains⁹ behind the curve on something that’s as important as protecting people’s basic civil liberties, basic fundamental right in legal proceedings,” said Gardner.

Opponents say it will worsen an already-burdened court system. But studies show there are long-term benefits, like savings¹⁰ in law enforcement, shelters, foster care, even healthcare. There also are the intangible benefits.

“There’s no way to tell someone 'thank you' for helping¹¹ you to get what you really want out of life because your kids mean more to you than a job or money. You can’t put a price on that,” said Holmes.

The battle for the right to civil counsel is taking place in state legislatures across the country. California, Massachusetts and Maryland, among others, are exploring pilot programs that experiment with the idea.

Thurston won his case in civil court with the help of one such program. His family still has a place to live, for now.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 eviction   

n.租地等的收回

参考例句：

• The family have won a temporary reprieve from eviction.这个家庭暂时免于被逐出。
• He claimed damages for unlawful eviction.他要求对非法驱逐作出赔偿。

4 estranged   

adj.疏远的，分离的

参考例句：

• He became estranged from his family after the argument.那场争吵后他便与家人疏远了。
• The argument estranged him from his brother.争吵使他同他的兄弟之间的关系疏远了。

5 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

6 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

7 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

8 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

11 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。