Our system of laws and courts performs many and probably most of its tasks exceedingly fairly. But it is not always at its most effective when it comes to civil cases involving persons unable to afford counsel where there is no right to counsel. One important step toward closing that gap is Connecticut's right to counsel law (CT-RTC) in housing court for some evictions involving low-income renters.

CT-RTC in its first year of implementation was generally a success, according to a recent report commissioned by the Connecticut Bar Foundation. The report found that in the first 11 months of its implementation, represented tenants met their goals either to avoid or delay eviction in three-quarters of cases. It also estimated that the program may have saved the state about $6 million in collateral costs caused by evictions, such as emergency housing. The overwhelming majority of people represented were single women of color with children. The need to protect these vulnerable families according to law is undeniable.