The Supreme Court handed down their decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission today, a not unexpected 5-4 decision that overturns two earlier cases and allows for considerably more spending on political campaigns by corporations, unions, and other organizations. This decision has potentially huge repercussions for the future of campaign finance reform. You can read the complete decision here (pdf), which includes Justice Kennedy’s opinion for the court, concurring opinions from Chief Justice Roberts, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas (Thomas dissented from the majority to explain that he would overturn the donor disclosure requirements as well – something the rest of the majority was unwilling to do), and an extensive dissent from Justice Stevens (joined by Sotomayor, Ginsburg, and Breyer).

The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia blogged yesterday about a Washington Post article detailing increased difficulty D.C. residents are facing in accessing safety net programs such as Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). This is due to the combination of a rise in applicants for these programs and the budget-driven closing of two Income Maintenance Administration (IMA) service centers. In the face of bureaucratic hassles, civil legal services such as those provided by the Legal Aid Society are increasingly important in helping people access these programs.

Chicago Public Radio has a fascinating story on the inner workings of Cook County Bond Court – the court that sets bail for defendants awaiting trial. Cook County has one of the most over-worked bond courts in the country, with the average hearing lasting 47 seconds (leading some critics to call the proceedings an unconstitutional denial of due process). This article provides a unique and rarely-shared view into an important part of the work of public defenders and prosecutors.

The annual Cover Retreat, which provides a forum for public-interest and reform-minded law students, practitioners, and academics to gather, network, and exchange ideas, will take place at Camp Sargent in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

Learn more about the retreat’s rich history and download this year’s registration info.

We blogged earlier about the New York Times blog post last Monday about a deferred Ropes & Gray associate who was spending a year at the Legal Aid Society in their housing practice. The young lawyer agreed to answer questions posted in the comment section, and his thoughtful answers appeared in the Times today.

Keep informed with PSLawNet’s weekly aggregation of public interest news stories from around the country.

• 1.18.10 – National Law Journal [forthcoming edition] – last term, the Supreme Court interpreted “the Constitution to require that forensic and other evidence be presented mainly in person, not by affidavit.”  Some prosecutors and law enforcement officials howled at the prospect of having to make lab technicians and other analysts available for testimony at every trial at which their work product was used.  Briscoe v. Virginia, argued earlier this week, “could be a vehicle for reversing that 5-4 decision less than a year after its issuance.  But that outcome appears far from certain.”  Link to article (which recounts the argument).

• 1.14.10 – Sun-Sentinel (Florida) – in Broward County, the public defender and the state attorney, both elected officials, are engaged in a charged debate about practices of the state attorney’s office.  A letter from the public defender “leveled a broadside…saying [that prosecutors] systematically sit on evidence favorable to defendants, cover up for bad cops and use a double standard of justice that favors the wealthy…”  The state attorney denies the accusations and is vigorously defending his office.  Link to article.

• 1.13.10 – Pacific Business News – “Citing the financial difficulties of the recession, the Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center will now operate as a new division of the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii…The Center said four of its 10 employees will be kept on to work for the new division.  Link to article.

  Click through for a New York Times blog post on deferred associates, civil legal services funding news, and more…

In international news today: the Pakistan National Assembly passed The Public Defender and Legal Aid Office bill Wednesday, which would create and maintain a national office to provide free legal services to indigent defendents. Though the bill must still be approved by the Senate, this is an exciting step forward in expanding access to justice.

The National Law Journal reported today that applications for federal clerkships went up over 60% in 2009. Another important trend noted was that over 50% of the applicants were law school graduates rather than students in their final year (up from just 18% in 2005). This is reflecting significant changes in how graduating students can pursue immediate post-grad opportunities, as well as shifts in what jobs currently employed (or recently laid-off) attorneys are seeking out. The article highlights the importance of networking and internships as ways to get your foot in the door – as judges are overwhelmed by the number of online applicants they are relying more and more on these traditional methods to hire their clerks.

The New York Times had a blog post yesterday about a deferred Ropes & Gray associate who has been working with the Legal Aid Society through a NYC Bar Association program. This post sparked an interesting comment thread, and the associate himself will be back to the blog to answer posted questions on Friday. We thought this was a good opportunity to share other coverage of deferred associates working with public interest organizations from this past year.

For more coverage of deferred associates and public interest placements, keep reading.

There has been a flurry of recent announcements about charitable foundation and government grants awarded to legal services providers:

1. According to a press release, the “…New York Bar Foundation today awarded four New York City-based legal aid organizations more than $528,000 in grant money to fund tenant screening training and outreach programs in neighborhoods across New York City. The funds were distributed as part of a $1.2 million cy pres class action settlement fund…”
2. A Legal Aid of North Carolina press release announced that the “Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will continue its vital support for LANC by renewing a major grant of $450,000 for its Home Defense Project.
   The Home Defense Project (HDP) fights to save homes and reduce foreclosures in North Carolina. In North Carolina, home foreclosures are expected to exceed 50,000 in 2010.”
3. In Indiana, the Evansville Courier & Press has reported that “[t]he Indiana Supreme Court is providing $1.5 million to Legal Aid agencies in the state.  The first installment, $750,000, already has been given to 11 agencies…  The Indiana General Assembly appropriates funding for the Civil Legal Aid Fund, and the Indiana Supreme Court awards the grant money to qualified agencies across the state.  In its news release announcing the funds, the Supreme Court said it’s ‘committed to ensuring that individuals involved in civil matters also have access to attorneys’.”