INDIANAPOLIS — New action is underway to address the state’s Attorney Shortage, a growing problem exposed by WRTV Investigates.
49 counties in Indiana are considered a “legal desert,” which is when a county has less than 1 lawyer for every 1,000 residents.
"It's to the point that a lot of people don't realize they have a legal problem, so they don't even know to go fight it because there's no one in their community to talk to and ask what they can do,” said Justin Forkner, Chief Administrative Officer for the Indiana Supreme Court. “In that case, the system crushes them."
WRTV Investigates found the lawyer shortage means court cases drag on, people spend time in jail longer than they should, and delayed justice costs taxpayers.
Are you living in a legal desert? Check out the interactive map below:
Following our investigation, Attorney Shortage, the state created the Commission on Indiana’s Legal Future to study the issue.
The state panel just released this 74-page interim report with recommendations to the Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana legislature.
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Among the ideas— financial support for lawyers willing to practice in legal desserts including:
- Student loan help
- Subsidies for starting a law firm
“Giving them money, giving them support, helping them learn how to start a business,” said Hon. Nancy Vaidik, Co-Chair of the Commission on Indiana’s Legal Future. “We don't learn that in law school. We learn evidence, we learn contracts, we don't learn how to start a business.”
Another proposed solution— allowing “Allied Legal Professionals” to represent people in court and provide legal services in certain situations, rather than lawyers.
"We aren't going to lawyer our way out of this,” said Forkner. “We have to find someone else to fill those gaps."
Forkner said you can think of it like the medical field.
"When you go to a doctor's office sometimes you see a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner,” said Forkner.
The Commission on Indiana’s Legal Future is also pushing for improving technology at county jails and other detention facilities so that defendants can appear remotely.
"So that attorneys may have a pretrial conference in one county, and then 45 minutes later have to run to another county pretrial conference,” said Vaidik. “There's just no reason this can't be done remotely."
The state is also looking at updating its technology so Artificial Intelligence (AI) and chatbots can help answer citizens’ legal questions.
Other recommendations in the report include:
- Fund scholarships for incoming law students who commit to practicing in Indiana for a period of years after graduation
- Provide startup funding to law firms using a non-profit business model
- Encourage the creation of a statewide legal incubator program that sets new lawyers up for success as business owners and managers
- Supplement funding for legal aid organizations
- Rural community development matching grants to provide targeted tax relief for lawyers in rural counties
- Funding to mitigate the cost of dual enrollment programs for students
- Loosen restrictions on municipal attorney service
The Indiana Supreme Court and Indiana legislature will now look at next steps including how to pay for these solutions.
Forkner said you may see changes in your community in the next few years.
“You may see a law firm on Main Street where now there’s just an empty building,” said Forkner. “I think that would be great.”
WATCH | Fixing Indiana's Attorney Shortage
You can submit your thoughts on the state’s Attorney Shortage here by September 13.
The commission will release its final report in July 2025.
