The Civil Law Center (“CLC”) is a branch of the Public Defender Service Corporation that handles the civil indigent representation as mandated under the Public Defender Service Corporation Act found in Title 12 of the Guam Code Annotated, Chapter 11, and specifically found under Sections 11103, 11105, 11106, and 11116. CLC is the civil branch of the Public Defender Services Corporation that provides free civil legal representation to those who qualify under one of the CLC programs. The services provided are determined by the needs of the community and the funding and resources that are available. Under the Public Defender Services Act, free civil legal services and representation are provided to those who are income-qualified under the CLC Civil Indigent Representation based on the federal income poverty guidelines and as set forth by the Board. These income requirements may be waived for limited services provided to specific groups based on any federal grants received. The services provided at CLC include civil legal services to indigents, our manamko, veterans, and victim of family violence, sexual assault and stalking. Legal Assistance and Services that are provided for under our Elder Justice Center (“EJC”) is limited to those who qualify based on age requirements (60 years and older), and legal services provided for under The Advocacy Center (“TAC”), which receives STOP Violence grants are limited to protection orders for victims of family violence, sexual assault, and stalking. All services are free to those who meet the eligibility.

We are conducting a survey about the legal needs of low-income families living on Guam. The goal of this survey is to help CLC-PDSC set priorities for the types of legal services that the CLC-PDSC office can provide under the CLC Civil Legal Representation Program based on priorities and available office resources and local funding so that this office can effectively and efficiently meet the needs of our indigent population, elderly, veterans, and victims of family violence, sexual assault and stalking. Your responses are anonymous and will only be used to determine what the legal services needs are.

We appreciate your answers to all these questions. You must be 18 years of age or older to complete this survey.

T