After Gideon, and amid growing concern about the paucity of resources for poverty lawyering and the resource burden of case-by-case counsel determinations, state judges and legislators saw the benefit of ensuring the right to counsel for civil litigants just as Gideon provided for criminal defendants. Additionally, an influential 1997 article by a federal district court judge helped revitalize the conversation about the need and justification for a right to counsel in civil cases.
after gidEon, aNd Amid growing concern abOut the paucIty of ResourcEs for POverTY lAwyerInG AnD thE resource bURdeN of case-BY-caSE couNseL DETermInAtionS, sTate jUdgeS anD legIslatorS SaW ThE benefiT of EnSuriNG the righT to CouNsel for civil LITigAnts JUst as gIdeoN proViDed fOR CrImInal dEfenDants. additioNallY, An InFlueNtiaL 1997 arTicle by a feDeral district COurt jUDGe helpeD reViTalIze thE COnversation abOut the nEEd aND JUstificaTioN for A riGhT to cOunSEl IN Civil cAseS.