Legal Services Corporation Act Amendments of 1977

Summary

Legal Services Corporation Amendments Act - Amends the Legal Services Corporation Act to subject the Corporation and each State advisory council established under such Act to Government in the Sunshine Act requirements regarding open meetings. Authorizes the Corporation to carry out its research, training, and assistance functions by means of grant or contract. Permits up to ten percent of the funds appropriated to the Corporation to be used for such purposes. Requires a court appointing an attorney employed by an organization receiving assistance under the Legal Services Corporation Act to provide for reasonable compensation for such attorney, unless the appointment is made pursuant to a law or practice applied generally to all lawyers appearing before the court. States that attorneys receiving more than one-half their annual professional income from an organization established for the sole purpose of providing legal assistance under the Legal Services Corporation Act shall be deemed to be State or local employees for purposes of provisions prohibiting certain activities of such employees in connection with partisan politics. Repeals restrictions on political activities unrelated to legal assistance with respect to such attorneys. Revises guidelines regarding eligibility for, and priorities relative to, such assistance. Revises the limitations on the use of funds made available by the Corporation to (1) permit the provision of legal assistance with respect to criminal matters where a person is charged with an offense involving hunting, fishing, trapping, or gathering fruit of the land, a defense asserted involves rights arising from an Indian treaty, or a person is charged with a misdemeanor or lesser offense in an Indian tribal court; and (2) eliminate prohibitions against providing legal assistance to un-emancipated persons less than 18 years of age or in connection with a proceeding relative to school desegregation or a selective service or military violation; and (3) revise the prohibition against providing legal assistance to organize or encourage the formation of any organization or coalition. Authorizes appropriations for carrying out the activities of the Corporation through fiscal year 1979. Authorizes the appointment of independent hearing examiners to preside over hearings to suspend or terminate assistance under the Legal Service Corporation Act.

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Documents

3 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 29 December 1977

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• Conference report filed in House

  summary · EN · 30 November 1977

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 27 April 1977

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