State High Court Orders Pennsylvania Attorneys To Ante Up Add'l $25 In Registration Fees In Support Of Legal Aid System

The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts announced:

• The Pennsylvania Supreme Court [Thursday] ordered a $25 increase in the annual registration fee for Pennsylvania lawyers, the first such adjustment in eight years. Funds from the increase are to be used for legal aid programs to assist individuals unable to afford legal services.

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• Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille said the fee increase in its entirety will be used to bolster the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account program, known as IOLTA, which distributes funds for civil legal assistance to Pennsylvanians unable to afford lawyers. [...] Since mid-December when Federal Reserve rates dropped nearly to zero, IOLTA's revenues have fallen to critically low levels. Similar programs in other states are experiencing the same problem with the result that legal aid programs across the nation are being cut back. At the same time, growing numbers of indigent people with legal problems are seeking legal help.

For the press release, see Annual Registration Fee for Lawyers to Increase.