If folks facing criminal charges are afforded legal representation by the government, shouldn’t people at risk of eviction be extended the same privilege? Some public officials and legal professionals in metro Atlanta think so.
Earlier this month, Atlanta City Councilmember Michael Julian Bond introduced legislation that seeks to provide public defenders to tenants facing dispossessory claims in the Fulton County Magistrate Court. DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry thinks something similar could help his constituents on the cusp of displacement.
Whether such a system is feasible in the metro area, though, is another question.
Yes pulic defenders should help evicted people
Another foolish idea in Atlanta. What’s next? People that can’t make their car payment can now get “free” legal representation? What happens if the property owner cannot make his mortgage payment because his tenant is not paying rent? The lender will take the property WITHOUT having to go to court. The illogic of this idea is staggering.