About

The Center partnered with the SC Access to Justice Commission and the South Carolina Bar to commission and oversee the first-ever statewide civil legal needs assessment in South Carolina to raise awareness, identify priorities, and improve outreach to underserved communities. The mixed methods study drew on in-depth interviews with legal services providers and community leaders; statewide surveys of South Carolina residents and lawyers; court data about the number and types of cases handled by the civil court system; and focus groups with low- and moderate-income people throughout the state, who talked about their legal problems and their experiences with lawyers and courts. The study is accompanied by a web-based dashboard displaying socioeconomic and court data by county and census tract. Key findings were released in February 2023 at a launch event at the South Carolina Supreme Court, with additional events and outreach following throughout the year.