At its 2006 annual meeting, the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association unanimously adopted the following resolution:  "Resolved, that the American Bar Association urges federal, state, and territorial governments to provide legal counsel as a matter of right at public expense to low income persons in those categories of adversarial proceedings where basic human needs are at stake, such as those involving shelter, sustenance, safety, health or child custody, as determined by each jurisdiction."

Since then, state and local bar associations have acted in support of efforts to achieve recognition of a civil right to counsel. For example:

• The Fall 2009 Interim Report and Recommendations of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission includes as one of its recommendations that "Maryland Should Embrace the Principle of a Civil Right to Counsel."
• In April 2009 the Philadelphia Bar Association passed a resolution supporting a civil right to counsel.
• The New York State Bar Association Adopts Civil Right to Council report. Read the resolution and the report.

• The President of the New York County Lawyer's Association Encourages Passage and Expansion of Senior Citizen Right to Counsel Bill Pending in New York City. Read the letter here.
• The District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission released a report in October 2008, entitled "Justice for All? An Examination of the Civil Legal Needs of the District of Columbia's Low-Income Community." The report studied legal needs in nine areas and recommends ways to improve the provision of legal services.
• New York State Bar President Kate Madigan is featured in a 60-second radio spot focusing on a civil right to counsel. To listen click here.

• The Boston Bar Asssociation's Task Force on Civil Right to Counsel released a report in September 2008 with specific proposals on implementing a civil right to counsel in Massachusetts. Read the report here.
  
• The Hawaii Justice Foundation and State Bar released an extensive civil justice needs study in 2007 recommending a civil right to counsel.
• In 2007, the Washington State Bar Association submitted an amicus brief in King v. King, before the Washington Supreme Court, in which a woman seeking custody of her children asserted a right to counsel under the state constitution.

• The Maryland State Bar Association submitted a brief in Frase v. Barnhart, a case in which the state supreme court was considering whether the right to counsel should exist in custody cases.
• The Minnesota State Bar Association has established a civil right to counsel task force. See this site for more information.
• New Hampshire Access to Justice Commission is examining the civil right to counsel issue.