November 2009

Your Voice Can Make the Difference

by Guest Columnist Gail Stone

You will read in this special issue of Bar News about the state of court funding in Washington and about the Justice in Jeopardy Initiative. The facts are stark in courthouses, public defender and prosecutor offices, and legal aid programs around the state, as the number of those who need access to the courts and legal assistance continues to climb while resources for delivering justice dwindle.

Legislators and county and city council members are charged with balancing the needs of the community with those declining resources. They confront painful decisions as they face cutting the very programs and systems they have fought so hard to build.

You can make a difference in the decisions of those policymakers.

Washington’s lawyers have a long history of successful legislative advocacy. For over 30 years, WSBA sections and the Board of Governors have brought their expertise, experience, and creative problem-solving skills to the policy-making table. Over the years, hundreds of lawyers have volunteered thousands of hours developing WSBA’s legislative proposals, responding to the proposals of others, testifying before committees, and providing practical legal expertise to lawmakers. The WSBA and its sections, through the work of individual lawyers, have built a reputation for thoughtful and effective legislative advice and advocacy. When these lawyers speak, people listen.

In this issue of Bar News, we are calling on you in your unique capacity as a lawyer to raise your voice in support of our justice system. We come to this profession because we believe that a just system of laws, applied fairly, is essential to our system of government. But access to justice requires a very real and very practical infrastructure. As lawyers, we know firsthand the effects on our clients’ lives when they must wait and wait and wait for their day in court. We know how and why the costs of delay are borne by both our clients and society.

That first-hand experience and commitment to justice make lawyers uniquely credible as advocates for the justice system. The first — and second and third — rule for influencing public policy is this: Show up. Elected officials care what their constituents think and they pay attention to their constituents. Be sure your elected officials are paying attention to the justice system.

The Board of Governors supports the Justice in Jeopardy Initiative and encourages members to participate in advocating for legislative support of these programs. Here’s how:

• Write your legislators. Thank them, and tell them why justice — and the court system — matters.
• Better yet, make an appointment and meet with them in their district office.
• Join the Equal Justice Coalition — www.ejc.org.
• Attend a county council budget hearing and tell them why court funding matters.
• Contact your local bar association and join its efforts to support court funding at the county level.
• Talk to your friends, neighbors, and community organizations about why courts matter.

The 2010 Legislature convenes on January 11, 2010, for a 60-day session to address the supplemental budget and proposed legislation. Act now to shape the decisions your legislators will make during the upcoming session. 

Gail Stone is the WSBA director of justice and diversity initiatives and can be reached at gails@wsba.org. Paula Littlewood is the WSBA executive director and can be reached at paulal@wsba.org.