LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – For thousands of people across the Natural State, not only is cost a hurdle for justice; but location is, too.
The Bowen School of Law is trying to find solutions for rural legal deserts, and it all starts with students.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson joining University of Arkansas law school as a professor
For nearly 10 years, Suzanne Penn has been bringing the courtroom to the community, helping those without access to a lawyer and changing lives along the way. As the director of the Delta Divorce Clinic, she’s seen firsthand what happens in rural areas without a law office; and how basic rights and freedoms like separating from a partner are just not an option for some.
“One woman who when we left the courtroom,” Penn said, “She let out a whoop, like a wallop, like a ‘wahoo’ kind of thing. She was so happy to be free… people who are in these rural communities who are low income can never afford to get a divorce.”…