Program areas at Connecticut Bar Foundation
The revenue of the iolta/iota program is derived from interest earned on lawyers' trust accounts and interest on trust accounts, made available by participating attorneys through eligible financial institution remittances of interest earned on these accounts. The purpose of the program is to make funds available to provide for the delivery of civil legal services to low-income individuals and for law school scholarships based on financial need.
Right to counsel, eviction/tro- the cbf is the administrator of the right to counsel (rtc) in eviction defense and temporary restraining order grant programs. The rtc eviction defense program funds legal aid organizations that provide access to free legal help for income-eligible tenants facing eviction or loss of their housing subsidy. The rtc temporary restraining order program funds legal aid organizations that provide legal representation for income-eligible individuals who are interested in applying for temporary restraining orders in the judicial districts of fairfield, hartford, new haven, stamford-norwalk, and waterbury.
Court fees grants-in-aid and judicial branch grant for civil legal representation - under the court fees grants-in-aid program, the judicial branch transfers the revenue from designated court filing fees to the cbf, which distributes the funds to current iolta/iota grantees for the purpose of funding the delivery of legal services to Connecticut's low-income population. Judicial branch grant-in-aid is additional funding provided to cbf to supplement the court fees and iolta/iota programs.
In 1994, the Foundation established the james w. cooper fellows as the result of a generous bequest. The fellows develop and sponsor projects and programs to promote a better understanding of the legal profession, the judicial system, and the role of law in society; to explore ways to improve the profession and the administration of justice; and to further the highest ideals of the legal system. Fellows programming addresses issues specific to access to justice to help create systemic change and remove barriers to equal justice.