I’m not sure which century you’re living in, but the fact of the matter is that legal aid has been all but eviscerated in many regions, States, etc. It effectively no longer exists in those areas. It has become targeted only (and in an overburdened way) to minorities explicitly (no poor Caucasians need apply, as you do not “qualify” for legal aid), and further, only to particular kinds of cases (immigration defense or other specialty areas). I know because my family had justifiable need to call on them over the last 5 years, and each time have been told that income is no longer a qualifier.
On the civil side (as opposed to criminal) there is no such thing as a public plaintiff’s attorney, only a (crimiinal) Public Defender. However, one’s civil rights – including one’s possession and freedom – can be at risk without legal representation for civil matters. It is a grave injustice that the person without abundant funds (I’m not arguing with attorney’s fees, merely being realistic) will be denied justice if his or her case has merit, versus his opponent, yet the opponent has money, and the other does not.
The several States differ as to civil statutes, and in some areas of law, in some States, you are up a creek without a boat or oars if you lack money, regardless of the merits of your case and the insupportability of your opponent’s case. For example, in regard to Estate law where the Will is not under probate but under Trust, and you face an arbitrary trustee who has power (by virtue of position) + money. Such a trustee is allowed to abuse virtually without restraint every beneficiary, including withholding funds provided by the Trust, unless the benefiiciaries have money to bring an action. The beneficiaries cannot even beg the Court to intervene in such situations of abuse. There is no avenue or vehicle for legal redress.
This is only one of many instances and areas. Even in contingency lawsuits, most lawyers now will not even open a contingency case, have a discussion, without a hefty retainer. There are no public funds for such retainers. As to pro-bono work, this has also considerably shrunk. Generally now one goes through certain organizations which have a list of pro-bono lawyers, but it turns out that these lists are also often outdated, and such organizations themselves are dormant. Probably the natiion’s oversupply of lawyers has affected all this. Many lawyers now do not have full-time work (clients, case loads) even, and have to supplement by various additional means, so they’re not even in a position to be generous with regard to volunteering their time.
§ Dear God, help me to always feel love for all mankind and help them too. §